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INTER-AMERICAN 
ACQUAINTANCES 



BY 

CHARLES LYON CHANDLER 

FORMERLY A STUDENT AT THE 
UNIVERSIDAD MAYOR DE SAN 
MARCOS DE LIMA AND OF THE 
UNIVERSIDAD NACIONALDE 
BUENOS AIRES 




THE UNIVERSITY PRESS 
OF SEWANEE TENNESSEE 

M C M X V 






Copyright 1915 
By Charles Lyon Chandler 




APR 2 iSi5 
©CI.A397388 



TO 
HIS EXCELLENCY 

DR. ROMULO S. NAON 

FIRST AMBASSADOR FROM 
ARGENTINA TO THE UNITED 
STATES OF AMERICA, THIS 
BOOK IS DEDICATED AS A 
SLIGHT RECOGNITION OF 
HIS PATRIOTISM IN PUBLIC 
SERVICE 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2010 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/interamericanacq02chan 



PREFACE 

THIS little book makes no claim to completeness; 
its preparation by the author in the few spare 
moments of his life as a railway employe may perhaps 
excuse any fault of historical diction or exhaustiveness. 
It is intended to be suggestive rather than directly 
instructive, — to stimulate perhaps a few of those now 
engaged in studying South American history in its 
various phases in our colleges and universities to 
elaborate its material into historical or economic 
studies of permanent value. It aims to furnish proofs 
for the two following statements : — 

(i) That the moral and material aid and example 
of the United States were a factor in the Latin- 
American wars of independence ; 

(2) That during that time, as well as previously, 
much was spoken and written by both North and 
South Americans which forecasted the Pan-American 
movement, embodying the fundamental ideas on which 
the Pan-American Union is based. 

The author wishes to state his gratitude to Professor 
A. C. Coolidge, of Harvard University; to Professor 
James Bardin, of the University of Virginia; and to 
Professor Beverly W. Bond, of the University of 

[v] 



PREFACE 

Indiana, who have furnished helpful suggestions after 
reading the proof. The authorities of the Library of 
Congress at Washington and of the New York Public 
Library have been most helpful, as well as those at 
the Public Library of Charleston, S. C. To the Misses 
Poor, of Brookline, Mass., the author's debt of personal 
gratitude is so great that their thoughtfulness in placing 
thier rich stores of Latin-American information at his 
disposal is but a fresh evidence of the loving care of 
the kindest of aunts, who first inspired the author with 
a love for the Spanish and Portuguese languages. 

The many historical works published by Latin- 
American scholars have been a constant inspiration to 
the author in his work ; the happy memory of Agustin 
Alvarez, of Argentina, and the keen inspiration of 
Anibal Maurtua and Luis Antonio Eguiguren, of Peru, 
to mention but a few of many, have been fresh in- 
centives in the study of the development of Inter- 
American Acquaintances. To Henry L. Janes, esq., 
formerly of the United States Diplomatic Service and 
now meeting with well-deserved success in other lines 
at Montevideo, the author renews his appreciation for 
several constructive hints in the preparation of this 
little book. C. L. C. 

South American Agency of the 
Southern Railway and Allied Lines, 
Chattanooga, Tennessee, 
January 24th, 1 91 5. 

[Vi] 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER / 

PAGE 

I. Beginning of Pan-American Relations { \ 

II. Citizens of the United States of America who ^ 
took part in the Latin-American War of 
Independence, 1810-1826 89 

III. The Pan-Americanism of Henry Clay . . . 101 

IV. The Pan-American Origin of the Monroe 

Doctrine jj- 

V. Diversions in Euscaran : A Study in Persist- 
ently Influential Heredity 122 

Epitome of Dates, 1 807- 1 826 13 ! 



INTER-AMERICAN 
ACQUAINTANCES 

CHAPTER I. 
Beginning of Pan-American Relations 

IN the year 1648 Governor Peter Stuyvesant of the 
Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, now New York, 
obtained permission from his home government of 
Holland for his colony to trade with Brazil,— a trade 
which has never since been interrupted. In 1698 
the learned Boston divine, Cotton Mather, notes in 
his diary that he is studying Spanish, and that he has 
prepared a religious book in Spanish for distribution 
in Spanish America. In 1748 Scott, Pringle & Scott, 
of Madeira, writing to John and William Brown, 
Benjamin Gerrish, Jr., and Samuel Curwin, of Salem, 
advise them that Madeira had been licensed to ex- 
port "fish and other foreign provisions to Brazil, 
which in course will open a larger and more ben- 
eficial commerce between this and your colony." 
Five years before this, in 1743. the sloo P "Recruit," 
belonging to Henry Taggart, of Newport, Rhode 
Island, traded to Surinam. In 1774 Captains David 
Smith and Gamaliel Collins, of Truro, Massachusetts, 
made the first cruise from the United States to the 
Falkland Islands, and in the next year Capt. Uriah 

[*] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Bunker returned to his native Nantucket from a voy- 
age to the Brazil banks. These men were whalers, 
and it was to such as they that Edmund Burke 
alluded when he spoke as follows in the British Par- 
liament on March 22nd, 1775: " Falkland Island, 
which seemed too remote and romantic an object for 
the grasp of national ambition, is but a stage and 
resting place in the progress of their victorious in- 
dustry. Whilst some of them draw the line and strike 
the harpoon on the coast of Africa, others run the 
longitude and pursue their gigantic game along the 
coast of Brazil." It is almost more than a coincidence 
that Capt. Uriah Bunker returned to Nantucket on 
April 19th, 1775, the day of the battles of Lexington 
and of Concord. One hundred years later the Em- 
peror of Brazil sailed from that country on an April 
morning for the United States to aid in celebrating 
the centenary of their independence. 

These whalers began to attract some international 
attention. On the thirteenth of October, 1778, the 
American commissioners in France, Benjamin Frank- 
lin and John Adams, wrote to Monsieur de Sartine: — 

The English last year carried on a very valu- 
able whale fishery off the cost of Brazil and off the 

River Plate They have this year about 

seventeen vessels in this fishery, which have all 
sailed in the months of September and October. 
All the officers and almost all the men belonging 
to these seventeen vessels are Americans from 
Cape Cod and Nantucket in Massachusetts, ex- 

[*] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

cepting two or three from Rhode Island and 
perhaps one from Long Island. 

A list of twenty American captains of British 
whalers, sixteen of whom were from Nantucket, as 
obtained from the officers of three of the whalers that 
had been captured by French cruisers, was added to 
the communication. Adams and Franklin proposed 
sending an American frigate to destroy this whaling 
fleet, but nothing was ever done. In the next year, 
on September 13th, 1779, John Adams wrote to the 
same effect regarding these American-manned vessels 
in the River Plate whale fishery to the council of 
Massachusetts Bay, adding that all the officers and 
men were Americans. 

Let us turn to the other portion of Latin America 
for a moment In 1 767 permission had been granted 
to the English colonies in North America to export 
rice to the Spanish colonies ; — and it should be re- 
membered in this connection that one quarter of the 
signers of the Declaration of Independence of the 
United States of America, the first of its kind in the 
New World, were merchants or shipowners. Many of 
them doubtless knew or had heard of the latent wealth 
and growing importance of the Americans to the 
southward. One of the signers was lost at sea during 
the Revolution on a voyage to the West Indies. 

Neither was the west coast of South America 
ignorant of the United States. In the year 1775 we 
find the famous Peruvian savant, Cosme Bueno, re- 

[3] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

ferring to a work on smallpox published in Boston in 
1720, probably written by Dr. Zabdiel Boylston, and 
first printed in English by Benjamin Franklin's 
brother James. The Peruvian scholar, Luis Antonio 
Eguiguren, who has studied the history of his country 
so carefully and minutely, informs me of another link 
in the chain. They had great doings in Peru when 
Amat y Junient was Viceroy; and once some learned 
poet of Lima, so Eguiguren tells me, stated that the 
university ceremonies to please the Viceroy were no 
such great extravagance after all, for did they not do 
things on a far more elaborate scale in the English 
colonies in North America? Now this can only refer 
to the "Pietas et Gratulatio" published by Harvard 
College in sonorous Latin in 1762, when George the 
Third had been crowned King of England. For this 
is the only occasion in our early college life com- 
memorating a royal event to which the Viceroy's 
apologist could have referred. 

Even before the Treaty of Versailles (September 
3, 1783) had been signed, establishing by international 
agreement the independence of the first of the New 
World Republics to gain its freedom, Aranda, the 
Prime Minister of Spain, addressed the King, Charles 
III, in a Memorial (1783) as follows: — 

The independence of the English colonies has 
just been recognized, and this is food for thought 
and fear, in my opinion. This Federal Republic 
has been born a pigmy, so to speak, and has 

[4] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

needed the aid of States as powerful as Spain and 
France to attain her independence. The time 
will come when she will be a giant, and even a 
colossus, much to be feared in those vast regions. 
Then she will forget the benefits that she received 
from both powers and will only think of aggran- 
dizing herself. Her first step will be to get 
possession of the Floridas to dominate the Gulf of 
Mexico. These fears are, Sire, only too well 
founded and will be realized within a few years if 
other more disastrous events do not previously 
occur in our Americas. A wise policy admonishes 
us to forestall these threatening evils 

Aranda further proposes, as a means of avoiding 
the loss of the Spanish colonies, that Spain should with- 
draw from all except Cuba and Puerto Rico, and that 
three kingdoms should be created, united to that of 
Spain, the King of Spain to take the title of Emperor 
over all his dominions, — a curious forerunner of the 
modern "Imperial Federation System" of Great Britain. 

It will be readily seen, therefore, that the influence 
and example of the United States of America on the 
Spanish colonies of that continent was feared by the 
Prime Minister of Spain twenty-seven years before the 
Spanish-American War of Independence broke out in 
1810. Clearer proof could scarcely be needed of the 
early influence of the United States of America on the 
destinies of that part of the Continent which was then 
under the Spanish Crown. 

On May 25th, 1783, Juan Manuel de Cagigal 

[5] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

(1739-1811), then Lieutenant-General of the island of 
Cuba for his most Catholic Majesty Charles the Third 
of Spain and the Indies, addressed the following letter 
to George Washington : — 

Most Excellent Sir : 

The present circumstances have not permitted 
me, as the war is over and I am returning to 
Spain, to visit those famous countries and to have 
the honor of knowing the Fabius of these times as 
I had intended. Will your Excellency allow me 
to do so by means of this letter, placing myself at 
your orders and at the same time commending to 
you my aide-de-camp, Lieutenant-Colonel Fran- 
cisco de Miranda, who has just sailed for Phil- 
adelphia for that very purpose ; his character, 
education and other qualities have always par- 
ticularly attracted me, and I hope that they will 
likewise gain for him your appreciation and esteem, 
for which I shall be extremely grateful. 

I am a constant admirer of your Excellency's 
heroic virtues, and I shall therefore, have a 
particular pleasure in serving you ; pray command 
me at your will. May Our Lord guard your 
noble life many years and keep your glorious 
deeds immortal. 

This Francisco de Miranda was an enthusiastically 
consistent Pan-American from the day that he was 
born in luxury at Caracas to the night when he died 
in a slimy dungeon at Cadiz. On pursuing his 
correspondence one is struck with the constant 
repetition of the phrase, "Nuestras Americas" — Our 

re] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Americas — expecially when he is planning concerted 
action with those countries distant from his native 
Venezuela, as Argentina and Chile. The differences 
in language were no barrier to his broad ideas and 
ideals ; he urged and longed for the cooperation of 
Brazil and Haiti in his far-seeing plans. Miranda's 
Pan-American education may be considered as partly 
responsible for all this. He told President Ezra 
Stiles, of Yale, that he studied law a year or more at 
a college in the City of Mexico after his education in 
Venezuela, and he attended lectures at Yale Univer- 
sity in July, 1784. So far as can be ascertained he 
was the first South American to study at a university 
in the United States of America. It is to be greatly 
hoped that, with the praiseworthy attention which is 
now being bestowed at Yale on Latin-American 
matters, that a Francisco de Miranda scholarship for 
travel and study in Latin America may be opened in 
the near future at that university. 

Professor Robertson has so clearly detailed for us 
in his excellent biographical monograph on Miranda 
the salient facts of that great patriot's career that it 
only remains to be stated here that he met, talked 
with and was inspired by George Washington ; and 
that, while in the United States from the spring of 
1783 to December, 1784, he seemed to have been 
more or less friendly with Hamilton, Franklin, 
Dickinson, Greene, Moultrie, Thomas Paine, Samuel 
Adams, Livingston (who afterwards bought Louisiana 

[7] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

from France for the United States of America), Duer, 
Baron Steuben, Governor Bowdoin, Izard, and William 
Floyd. We shall come back to Miranda later. 

It must have been about 1785, that Charles Brock- 
den Brown, the first American author, sketched the 
plans of several epics, on the discovery of America 
and the conquests of Peru and Mexico. No vestige 
of them now remains. 

In 1785 we find the following in the Political 
Herald and Review of London in an article on South 
America: "The flame which was kindled in North 
America, as was foreseen, has made its way into the 
American dominions of Spain. The example of 
North America is the great subject of discourse and 
the grand object of emulation." 

How true this was may be seen from the following 
extract from a dispatch from John Adams, then 
United States Minister to England, to John Jay, who 
was then Secretary of the Confederation of the United 
States of America for foreign affairs, from London, 
dated May 28th, 1786: — 

An agent from South America was not long 
since arrested at Rouen in France, and has not 
since been heard of. Another agent, who was his 
associate, as I have been told, is here and has 
applied to Government for aid. Government, not 
in a condition to go to war with Spain, declines to 
have anything to do with the business 

You are probably better informed than I can 
pretend to be of the disturbances which took place 

[8] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

in the Spanish provinces of South America, during 
the late war, of the pacification of them, and of the 
complaints and discontent which now prevails. It 
is a fixed opinion in many minds here, that a 
revolution in South America would be agreeable 
to the United States, and it is depended on that 
we shall do nothing to prevent it, if we do not 
exert ourselves to promote it 

Not six months later an incident occurred which 
we shall describe in the words of one of the greatest 
of early Pan-Americans, Thomas Jefferson, who was 
then United States Minister to France. He wrote 
to Secretary Jay from Marseilles on May 4th, 1787, 
as follows : — 

My journey in this part of the country has pro- 
cured me information which I will take the liberty 
of communicating to Congress. In October last I 
received a letter dated Montpellier, October 2, 
1786, announcing to me that the writer was a 
foreigner who had a matter of very great conse- 
quence to communicate to me and desired I would 
indicate the channel through which it might pass 
safely. I did so. I received, soon after, a letter in 
the following words, omitting all formal parts: — 

"I am a Brazilian, and you know that my un- 
happy country groans under a most dreadful 
slavery, which becomes more intolerable since the 
era of your glorious independence — the barbarous 
Portuguese sparing nothing to make us unhappy 
for fear that we should follow your steps. And 
as we know that these usurpers against the laws of 
nature and humanity have no other thoughts than 

[9] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

of coercing us, we are determined to follow the 
striking example which you have given us ; and 
consequently to break our chains and bring to life 
liberty, which is now dead and oppressed by 
physical force, which is the only power Europeans 
have over America. But as Spain will not fail to 
join Portugal, it is necessary that a nation should 
join us, and notwithstanding the advantages we 
have for defence, we cannot do it, or at least it 
would not be prudent for us to run any hazard, 
without being sure of success. Your nation, Sir, 
is, we think, that which should most suitably assist 
us, because it is she that has given us the ex- 
ample ; and also because nature has made us 
inhabitants of the same continent, and has conse- 
quently constituted us, in some sort, countrymen. 
We are ready, on our part, to furnish all the funds 
that may be necessary, and show, at all times, our 
gratitude towards our benefactors. This is the 
substance of my intention and it is to fulfill this 
commission that I am now in France, as I could 
not do it in America without exciting some sus- 
picions. It is for you to judge if they can be 
realized, and in case you should wish to consult 
your nation on the subject, I am enabled to give 
you all the information that you may think 
necessary." 

I have the honor to be, etc., 

Thos. Jefferson. 

Montpellier, 21 Nov., 1786. 

In this year, 1787, there was published a two- 
volume work at Madrid, entitled "Diccionario Geo- 
grafico Historico de las Indias Occidentales o Ameri- 

[10] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

ca," written by a captain of the Royal Spanish Guards 
named Antonio de Alcedo y Bexarano, which was 
destined to enjoy a considerable circulation and in- 
fluence in the Spanish-American colonies. The ac- 
counts of the United States of America in this book 
are complete and unusually accurate ; it is a minute 
gazetteer of North as well as South America. In Vol. 
II, pages 104, 105, we read a long account of the 
Revolutionary War of the United States of America, 
the exhortation of 1774 to the inhabitants of Boston 
being printed in full. The beginning of Alcedo's 
account of the events in Boston is worth quoting, in 
translation: "The severity of the British Parliament 
against Boston should make all the American prov- 
inces tremble ; there now remains no other choice 
for them but imprisonment, fire, and the horrors of 
death or the yoke of a low and servile obedience ; the 
time of an important revolution had arrived." One 
of the most interesting evidences of the influence of 
this geographical and historical dictionary of America 
was its use by those who promoted the Uruguayan 
Revolution of 18 13, with particular reference to the 
famous "instructions" of that year. 

On December 15th, 1787, Thomas Jefferson, who 
was still representing the United States of America at 
Paris, wrote as follows to William Carmichael, who 
was representing that country at Madrid : — 

I have been told that the cutting thro' the 
Isthmus of Panama, which the world has so often 

["] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

wished and supposed practicable, has at times 
been thought of by the Government of Spain, and 
that they once proceeded so far as to have a 
survey and examination made of the ground ; but 
that the result was either impracticability or too 
great difficulty. Probably the Count de Campo- 
manes or Don Ulloa can give you information on 
this head. I should be exceedingly pleased to 
get as minute details as possible on it, and even 
copies of the survey, reports, etc., if they could be 
obtained at a moderate expense. I take the 
liberty of asking your assistance in this. 

A year before this, on November 13th, 1786, Jeffer- 
son had written to a member of the Academy of 
Sciences of France on this subject. 

It is an extremely curious historical coincidence 
that three months before Jefferson wrote the foregoing 
dispatch, the "Columbia" and "Lady Washington" 
sailed, in September, 1787, from Boston for the west 
coast of South America, being the first United States 
vessels to go to that part of the world. They stopped 
at the island of Juan Fernandez, which the "Colum- 
bia" left on June 3rd, 1788, on account of the 
Spanish Royal Order of November 25th, 1692, which 
forbade foreign ships to navigate the South Seas with- 
out permission of Spain. It is not generally known 
that this, one of the most striking instances of a claim 
to exclusive navigation of a part of the open ocean, 
was not modified until October 28th, 1790, when by 
the Nootka Sound Treaty of that date it was modified 

[12] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

only as regarded England, this being the first express 
renunciation of Spain's ancient claim to exclusive 
sovereignty on the American shores of the Pacific 
Ocean and South Seas ; it marked the beginning of 
the collapse of the Spanish colonial system. Three 
years later, in 1792, United States ships came to the 
Lobos Islands off the coast of Peru, and from that 
day to this the Stars and Stripes have played their 
part in the development of the Pacific coast of the 
Americas. It may be noted in this connection that 
as a matter of strict law, until the last Spanish posses- 
sion on the Pacific coast, the fortress at Callao, 
surrendered on January 29th, 1826, less than a hun- 
dred years ago, these exclusive Spanish claims to 
maritime supremacy remained in force. 

Spain had taken formal possession of Nootka Sound 
on March 14th, 1789, — a significant date in American 
history, for it aroused, even though in a measure 
indirectly, by the controversy and diplomatic corre- 
spondence that ensued between England and Spain, 
profound interest in the United States of America in 
the affairs of Spain and her colonies in the New 
World. From the beginning of the republic we had 
no more vital question of foreign affairs than that with 
this same country, and there are few problems which 
have more constantly engaged the attention of those 
charged with the foreign relations of the United 
States of America from 1789 to the present day than 
these Spanish American ones. 

U3] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

There is another point about this Nootka Sound 
settlement which deserves attention. Spain itself is 
situated between the 35th and 45th parallels of 
latitude, and by far the greater part of immigrants 
from Spain to America came from between the 38th 
and 45th of these parallels. Now there was almost 
no Spanish settlement ever made during colonial times 
south of the 40th parallel of south latitude, and South 
America between the 30th and 40th parallels was very 
thinly settled until about 1850. Nootka Sound was 
almost the only Spanish settlement in North America 
that had the climate, or lay in or above the latitudes 
of the northern half of Spain. Therefore the Spaniards 
settled very rarely where the climatic conditions 
were the same as those in the mother country. 
Consequently we find the customary effects taking 
place among Spaniards situated in countries far 
hotter than those in which they and their ancestors 
had lived ; and the only Spanish colonies in which 
Spain was not even able to land an expeditionary 
force to reconquer them were those situated in a cool 
climate and temperate zone. These climatic influences 
have a profound bearing on the entire Latin-American 
revolutionary period with which we are about to deal; 
and it is not strange that in a city of the elevation 
and vigorous climate of Bogota, we meet with the 
next striking instance of Pan-Americanism. 

We should not, however, pass by an extract from 
a letter written in 1791 by the Jesuit father, Juan 

[H] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Pablo Vizcardo y Guzman, a native of Arequipa in 
Peru, which reads as follows : — 

The valor with which the English colonies of 
America have fought for their liberty, which they 
gloriously enjoy, covers our indolence with shame ; 
we have yielded to them the palm with which 
they have been the first to crown the New World 
by their sovereign independence. 

It was also in 1791 that Thomas Jefferson, then 
Secretary of State of the United States of America, 
instructed David Humphreys, then U. S. Minister to 
Portugal to "procure for us all the information pos- 
sible as to the strength, riches, resources, lights and 
disposition of Brazil." 

We do not know how early in life the Colombian 
patriot, Antonio Nariflo, began to read about the 
United States ; but, to judge from the proceedings of 
his trial in 1 794 for seditious practices, he had been 
for some time previously, to quote the words of 
Enrique Unana and Bermando Cifuentes in their 
testimony of July 25th of that year, "working in ac- 
cordance with the constitution of Philadelphia." In 
Narino's defence at this trial he refers to the laws and 
constitutions of the United States of America, and 
exclaims, "Oh Fatherland of the Franklins, of the 
Washingtons, of the Hancocks, and of the Adamses, 
who is not glad that they lived both for themselves 
and for us?" He alludes to our "Neighbors of the 
North," an expression he may possibly have drawn 

[is] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

from his translation in 1792 of Thomas Paine's 
"Rights of Man," which he circulated in Colombia in 
that year. Among Narifio's books were a summary 
of the Revolution of the United States of America, a 
compilation of the fundamental laws of that country, 
both in French, — the latter dedicated to Benjamin 
Franklin, — the Freeholder's monitor, and a Spanish- 
English dictionary in two volumes. He also had a 
portrait of Benjamin Franklin in his house as early 
as : 793- That Narifio's ideas were not confined to 
himself alone is shown in the charge against Doctor 
Luis de Raiux, a Frenchman who was also tried in 
1794 in Colombia, that in April, 1793, in the house of 
Juan Dionisio Gamba, he persuaded those present 
with the utmost energy that it was time to throw off 
the yoke of despotism and form an independent repub- 
lic on the model of that of Philadelphia. That city was 
then the capital of the only American republic. 

So fearful were the Spanish authorities becoming of 
the spread of the influence of the United States of 
America in their American possessions that a royal 
order of May 18th, 1791, was issued forbidding the 
circulation of any kind of medals in the Indies which 
alluded to freedom of the Anglo-American colonies. 
It appears that this order had especial reference to cer- 
tain medals struck to commemorate the independence 
of the United States, with the word "Libertad Amer- 
icana" (American Liberty) engraved on them. 

Let us return for a moment to Miranda. In 1795 

[16] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

commissioners from Mexico met him in Paris and 
held what was the prototype of all succeeding Pan- 
American congresses. As a result of their confer- 
ence a remarkable paper was submitted to the British 
government advocating the cooperation of Great 
Britain and the United States in a movement to free 
Latin America. The ninth and tenth articles of this 
document relate to the project of an alliance between 
Latin America and the United States, breathing the 
spirit of mutual interest and aspirations out of which 
grew the Pan-American Union. It was doubtless 
alarm at such concerted movements, as the foregoing 
incident would indicate, that the Viceroy in Peru, Don 
Ambrosio O'Higgins, issued a decree in April, 1796, 
prohibiting the introduction into Peru of foreign 
newspapers, among which are more definitely speci- 
fied English, French, and those of the United States 
of America, the decree declaring that those who re- 
ceived and read such periodicals shall be treated as 
disturbers of the public peace. A month before this 
Miranda had written as follows to General Henry 
Knox, the first Secretary of War of the United States 
of America : — 

I take the pen only to tell you that I live and 
that my sentiments for our dear Colombia, as well 
as for all my friends in that part of the world, 
have not changed in the least. 

Before passing on to Miranda's Pan-American 
writings of the year 1794, we must not forget to 

3 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

mention that on the ninteenth of August, 1 797, An- 
tonio Narifio declared to the Viceroy of New Granada 
that he had negotiated with one P. Conlon, of 64 
North Front Street, Philadelphia, regarding buying 
arms there for the patriots. Thus Philadelphia con- 
tinued to be the source of material aid as well as that 
of political inspiration in the New World. On Febru- 
ary 1 7th, 1 797, Timothy Pickering, Secretary of State 
of the United States of America, wrote as follows in 
an instruction to John Quincy Adams, who had been 
recently appointed United States Minister to Portugal, 
of which Brazil was then a colony : — 

Col. Humphreys was desired to gain, if practi- 
cable, some certain information of Brazil, although 
the usual policy of European nations, and par- 
ticularly of Spain and Portugal, tends to the ex- 
clusion of foreign vessels from their American 
Colonies, yet so far as they depend on the United 
States for supplies of the articles most necessary 
to the planters and other inhabitants, either for 
goods for building, or for the exportation of their 
produce, a direct trade with us would evidently be 
most beneficial to them as well as to us. Spain, 
for instance, excludes our vessels unless furnished 
with licenses from her public agents here; the 
consequence is, that the colonists pay nearly two 
prices for their flour. At other times our flour is 
carried to Cadiz, and thence in Spanish vessels to 
the Colonies. In both cases the general interests 
of the colonists and of the mother country are 
sacrificed to the emolument of a few agents and 
monopolists. 

[18] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

I do not know whether anything similar exists 
in the colonial regulations of Portugal. There has 
never been, as I have heard, any intercourse 
between the United States and Brazil, yet the 
climate and produce of at least a very large 
portion of that extensive country must be such as 
to render supplies of some species of provisions, 
particularly bread, as necessary to the inhabitants, 
as to those of the West India Islands. And 
hence I presume that those provisions, particu- 
larly flour, are transported hither from Portugal — 
flour made of American wheat. But we are too 
little acquainted with the trade, culture and wants 
of Brazil to form any just conclusions. The sub- 
ject will warrant your attention. 

Early in the year 1798 the Jesuit priest, Juan Pablo 
Vicardo y Guzman, whom we have mentioned already, 
died in London and left with the United States Min- 
ister there, Rufus King, a remarkable paper urging 
South American independence, in which he says of 
his countrymen : — 

The recent acquisition of independence by 
their neighbors in North America has made the 
deepest impression on them. 

It was in the same year that Miranda gave the fol- 
lowing advice to Bernardo O'Higgins, afterwards 
President of Chile, who was about to return to 
America : — 

On leaving England do not forget for a 
moment there is only one other country in the 

[19] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

whole world outside of that land in which a word 
of politics may be spoken other than to the proved 
heart of a friend ; and that nation is the United 
States. 

We may wonder — for we do not know the precise 
date of the memorable interview above quoted — 
whether it occured before or after Miranda received 
Alexander Hamilton's letter to him, of August 22nd, 
1798, which reads as follows, in part, regarding 
Miranda's efforts toward obtaining South American 
independence : — 

The sentiments I entertain with regard to 
that object have long since been in your knowl- 
edge ; .... It was my wish that matters had 
been ripened for a cooperation in the course of 
this fall, on the part of this country; the winter, 
however, may mature the project and an effective 
cooperation by the United States may take place. 
In this case I will be happy, in my official station, 
to be an instrument of so good a work. 

The "official station" to which Hamilton refers was 
the position he then occupied in the United States 
army. 

We have seen that Miranda was the first South 
American to study at a United States university, at 
Yale in 1 784. One of the many glories of Georgetown 
University is the long and distinguished list of Latin- 
Americans who have found inspiration within its halls. 
They include a president of Chile, the elder Errazuriz ; 

[20] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

a distinguished Peruvian cabinet minister and diplo- 
mat, Felix Cipriano Coronel Zegarra; and the list was 
begun when in 1801, just after that pioneer of Pan- 
Americanism, Thomas Jefferson, had been inaugu- 
rated President of the United States of America, 
twenty-three young Cubans were brought there by 
the good Bishop Claget, afterward Bishop of Louis- 
ville, Kentucky. 

The Louisiana purchase of 1803 directed the 
attention of the United States of America more and 
more to the Latin colonies, as they then were, of the 
New World. An act of Congress of February 24th, 
1804, privileged French and Spanish ships and ''■those 
of their colonies" in the ports of Louisiana for twelve 
years from the exchange of ratifications of the 
Louisiana treaty, — a commercial measure of freedom 
which the growing mercantile intercourse of the 
countries of the New World were not slow to avail 
themselves of. 

On March 4th, 1805, the New York Evening Post 
printed a letter from Hamburg, dated December 4th, 
1804, which said in part: "Could a cargo of linens 
be sent out to Buenos Aires and one of hides be got 
in return, it would make a very successful voyage." 
So far as the author is aware this is the first allusion 
to Buenos Aires in a New York newspaper. The 
"Antelope," Captain Pittman, arrived at New York 
from La Guaira on May 6th, 1805, * n twenty-five 
days — a record beaten three weeks later, when the 

[21] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

"Lively," Captain Van Allen, made the same voyage 
in fourteen days. On July 15th, 1805, there were 
three brigs and one schooner flying the Stars and 
Stripes at Cayenne, French Guiana. 

Before we begin to consider in detail the two Pan- 
American events of the year 1806 which are most 
generally remembered, it may be well to quote the 
following extract from the Introduction written by 
Samuel Latham Mitchill to De Pon's "History of 
Venezuela," published in 1806, — which, by the way, 
was one of the first books of so comprehensive a 
nature published in the United States of America on 
a Latin-American country : — 

For the seasonableness and importance of a 
work, written with the ability manifested in every 
part of this, on the Province of South America, 
belonging to the Captain-Generalship of the Car- 
raccas, cannot fail to recommend it to the notice 
of statesmen, merchants, and the lovers of general 
knowledge. 

This is the first occasion on which we find Mitchill 
interested in Latin-American matters ; an interest 
which was to lead to important consequences, as we 
shall see later. 

That such an expedition as that of Francisco de 
Miranda from New York City to Venezuela in 1806, 
to endeavor to free that country from Spain, had been 
anticipated by the world at large is shown by a re- 
markable letter from the French explorer and 

f22] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

scientist, Peron, to Charles Decaen, the Governor of 
Mauritius, or the Isle of France as it was then called, 
of the twentieth Frimaire Year XII (i ith of December, 
1803) in which he foresees an insurrection of the 
Spanish colonies in America, and gives a somewhat 
detailed account of the probability thereof. 

On February 2nd, 1806, Miranda sailed from New 
York with his little expedition on the ship "Leander." 
He had previously endeavored to enlist the service of 
Petion, then prominent in what is now the Dominican 
Republic, thus showing that his efforts were not con- 
fined to his native country alone. It would be 
interesting to know who wrote an article in the 
Richmond Inquirer early in the year 1 806, which is 
quoted in the Federal Gazette for March 4th of that 
year. It stated that if Miranda was successful that 
"a new confederation of states might start into 
existence"; and that as its people became more free 
and enlightened, "the United States of South 
America, like the United States of the North, will 
represent to admiring Europe another republic, in- 
dependent, confederated, and happy." The failure 
of Miranda's attempt to land near Puerto Cabello on 
April 27th, 1806, which led to its complete failure 
and the imprisonment in horrible dungeons of many 
of the young citizens of the United States who took 
part therein, including a grandson of President John 
Adams, Moses Smith, did not deter that intrepid 
leader from attempting another invasion of Venezuela 

[23] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

on July 27th, on which occasion the "Leander" was 
accompanied by the American brig "Commodore 
Barry." This expedition failed, although every effort 
was made to arouse the people of Venezuela to 
insurrection, and the Jesuit Vicardo y Guzman's letter 
to which we have alluded above was distributed in 
that country. 

William S. Smith, the father of the young Moses 
Smith, said: "With respect to my son, he was not 
made acquainted with the plans of General Miranda ; 
he went with him as a young companion, to share his 
fortunes and his fate ; he was accompanied by some 
of his friends, capable of deeds of hardihood and 
valour — worthy their leader, worthy his cause." 

Some idea of the assistance rendered by the United 
States of America to these expeditions of Miranda in 
1806 may be gathered from the following translation 
of an extract from an official dispatch from the 
Spanish Government to the American legation at 
Madrid, dated June 2nd, 1806, complaining of this 
assistance : — 

The arms, the munitions of war, and the re- 
bellious persons who were preparing to 

attack a part of the Dominion of the King in 
American ships, with American crews, and sailors 
on board, as well as sons and relatives of persons 
employed by the American Government, was 
being arranged in New York ; the boats were in- 
sured in an American company. 

[24] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

In the spring of 1807 the portraits of Washington 
and Miranda were found, among others, on a hand- 
kerchief of English manufacture near the place where 
Miranda had landed in Venezuela. 

It is not the purpose of this work to give a detailed 
account of the life of any of the great South American 
leaders of the War of Independence, so we will 
merely mention that Simon Bolivar was at the im- 
pressionable age of twenty-three when he landed in 
Boston in October, 1806. After visiting the battle- 
fields of Lexington and Concord, he passed through 
New York, visited Philadelphia and spent several days 
in Washington, where he probably met President 
Jefferson, and sailed from Charleston, South Carolina, 
some time in January, 1807, to Venezuela by way of 
the West Indies, after having obtained a clearer idea 
at first hand of the United States of America. 

It seems certain that some time before the year 
1807 a number of citizens of the United States of 
America were engaged in business at Buenos Aires. 
Captain Campbell of the American Schooner "Mafy" 
arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, on December 
19th, 1806, after a passage of seventy-six days from 
Montevideo. When he left that port on October 3rd, 
1806, there were five United States ships there — two 
from Charleston, two from New York, and one from 
Boston. Mr. Gilbert Deblois, of Boston, arrived at 
New York on January 15th, 1807, from Montevideo, 
via Cayenne. He had left Montevideo on October 

[25] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

25 th, 1806, and gave out an interesting interview in 
New York on the British invasion of Buenos Aires. 
William P. White, a native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 
had come to Buenos Aires as early as 1804; and 
George Washington's Farewell Address was known 
there in 1805, less than ten years after it was de- 
livered. General Belgrano tells us that it came into 
his hands in that year. In 1808, of the seventy-nine 
foreigners who were then living in Chile, nine were 
citizens of the United States of America, five of whom 
were at Santiago, three at Talcuahuano and one at 
Copanno. The Argentine historian, Bartolome Mitre, 
notes that even before United States Consul General 
Poinsett arrived in Chile in 18 12, vague notions of 
independence and republicanism had been spread 
abroad in that country through business men and 
whalers from the United States of America, the 
whalers being called "Boston men," as many came 
thence. In 1 807 Andrew Sterett, of Baltimore, sev- 
eral of whose family have since been prominent in 
Pan-American affairs, died at Lima, Peru, where he 
had been engaged in business. He was one of the 
earliest naval officers of the United States of Amer- 
ica, which has named a torpedo boat destroyed after 
him. 

Probably the most prominent among the citizens of 
the United States of America who were then in 
Buenos Aires was David C. De Forest (1771-1825); 
he was certainly the first one to call the attention of 

[26] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

his country's government to the need for its repre- 
sentation in that city, which had about 45,000 in- 
habitants at that time. De Forest is characterized by 
the Argentine annalist Zinny as "that worthy Ameri- 
can, whose portrait exists [1875] in the University of 
Buenos Aires, and who acquired an honorable position 
in that city, which gave him that distinction." On 
October 4th, 1807, he addressed a long letter from 
Buenos Aires to Secretary James Madison, in which 
he speaks of ships under the colors of the United 
States of America constantly visiting Buenos Aires 
(this is corroborated by the testimony of contempo- 
raries, in Mitre's History of General Belgrano), and 
urges the appointment of a commercial agent or 
consul of the United States of America at that place, 
which addition he presumed would he "highly pleasing 
to the inhabitants, and sufficiently countenanced by 
this government to answer all the purposes for which 
he would be admitted, although the laws would not 
allow of his being formally admitted." The reference 
is to the Spanish law of April 24th, 1 807, prohibiting 
the residence of foreign consuls in the Spanish 
colonial dominions of America. The "Reconquista," 
or reconquest of Buenos Aires from the English by 
the inhabitants of that city and their army under 
Liniers, had occurred just three months before De 
Forest's letter, on July 5th, 1807; William P. White, 
the citizen of the United States of America to whom 
we have recently alluded, was appointed by General 

[27] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Whitelocke as Commissary, or agent for the British 
prisoners remaining in the River Plate country. 

The New York Evening Post for Monday, February 
17th, 1806, notes that the United States brig "Ann 
and Frances," Captain King, had just arrived from 
the River Plate in eighty-six days, and the issue for 
November 17th, 1806, states that the United States 
schooner "Sophrona," Captain Warren, had cleared 
that day for Buenos Aires from New York City. In 
the meanwhile the ship "Hanover" arrived from the 
coast of Patagonia with a cargo of elephant oil at New 
Bedford, Massachusetts, on May 18th, 1806. In 
Gore's Liverpool, England, Advertiser for September 
25th, 1806, the United States brig "Albion," Captain 
Littlefield, is advertised to sail for the River Plate, 
and three other United States merchant vessels — the 
"Intrepid," Captain Trumbull; the "Lady Carleton," 
Captain Ritchie; and the "Lancaster," Captain Grif- 
fin — were about to sail from Liverpool for Buenos 
Aires. On October 4th, 1806, Captain Stephens 
arrived in Boston direct from San Sebastian, Brazil, 
and reported that Sir Home Popham had arrived off 
Montevideo. On November 13th, 1806, the ship 
"Bengal," Captain Koven, cleared from New York to 
Buenos Aires ; it belonged to the New York firm of 
Low & Wallace. The New York Evening Post for 
November 7th, 1807, reprints General Whitelocke's 
order of July 10th, 1807, at Buenos Aires, and from 
later issues of the same paper we learn that on No- 

[28] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

vember 8th, 1807, the United States brig "Pallas" 
arrived at Boston from the River Plate. She had left 
Montevideo on August 14th, 1807; David C. De 
Forest was there then. This is the earliest authentic 
mention of his being in the River Plate countries that 
I can find, though he must have been there at least 
for several months previously. On November 9th, 
1807, the United States ship "Arrow," Captain 
Fletcher, of Newburyport, arrived at Boston, Massa- 
chusetts, from Montevideo, having left that city on the 
previous September 8th. She carried a valuable cargo 
of the productions of South America. On November 
25th, 1807, the United States ship "Palmyra," whose 
captain was named Whitney, arrived at Charleston, 
South Carolina, from Montevideo, after a voyage of 
seventy- three days. The United States ship "Olive 
Branch," of Boston, had arrived at Montevideo two 
days before the "Palmyra" sailed from that port, and 
the United States brig "Union," Captain Hussey, of 
Nantucket, had sailed from Montevideo for the Rio 
Negro on the coast of Patagonia (presumably for 
whaling for "elephant oil," as the " Hanover," of New 
Bedford, had done the year previous), shortly before 
the "Palmyra" had left the River Plate. The " Palmyra" 
had also left five United States merchant vessels at 
Montevideo, namely the brig "Eliza Carey" from Provi- 
dence, Rhode Island, which was about to sail for 
Botany Bay; the ship "Olive Branch," previously 
mentioned, whose captain was named King ; the ship 

[29] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

"Print," Captain Dixey, which was all ready to sail for 
Boston ; and a ship commanded by Captain Tibbetts, 
of Wiscasset (now in Maine, then in Massachusetts), 
which was detained by a Spanish privateer in the Rio 
de la Plata. The schooner "Sophronia," Captain 
Warren, of New York, as well as a Philadelphia ship, 
had shortly before sailed for home, intending to stop 
on the Brazil coast ; we have seen above that she had 
left New York for Buenos Aires on November 17th, 
1806. The ship "George and Mary," of Newport 
News, Virginia, had sailed on August 13th, 1807, 
from Buenos Aires to London. 

Thus in the year 1807 there were merchant vessels 
from five of the thirteen maritime states that then 
constituted the United States of America — Massa- 
chusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania and 
Virginia — doing business in the River Plate countries ; 
and there was also traffic with a sixth state, South 
Carolina, to which several vessels returned from River 
Plate ports ; so we can say that half the maritime and 
a third of the total number of the United States of 
America in 1 807 had some interest in the River Plate 
trade. Even the evacuating British squadron, on 
their way back to England from Buenos Aires, fell in 
with the United States brig "Sally," Captain Barry, 
bound from Barcelona to Philadelphia. So that one 
hundred and seven years ago, the Stars and Stripes 
was not an unfamiliar sight in the River Plate — while 
Liniers was at the height of his power, three years 

[SO] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

before the first step toward Argentine independence 
had been initiated. In fact, at least one citizen of 
the United States seems to have had direct relations 
with Liniers; for the "Palmyra" reported she left De 
Forest in Montevideo, he having obtained "liberty 
from General Liniers to attend to one or two suits of 
law that were pending," as the contemporary reporter 
of the New York Evening Post phrased it. De Forest 
was by no means the only one of his countrymen to 
remain in Montevideo; Messrs. Blodget and Childs, 
of Baltimore, continued there under the privilege 
granted to them by the court of Spain, though Mr. 
Wykman, of New York, had taken passage on an 
English ship for Surinam. The "Palmyra" brought 
back to Charleston a large quantity of English 
goods with which the River Plate market had been 
glutted after the British occupation of Buenos Aires 
and Montevideo. 

In the year 1 808 the Englishman, W. Burke, wrote 
that the United States would emancipate South 
America if England or France did not, or if the South 
Americans did not do it by their own efforts ; and in 
the same year President Thomas Jefferson wrote to 
Governor Claiborne of the territory of Orleans, at 
New Orleans, as follows, speaking of Cuba and 
Mexico : — 

We consider their interests and ours as the 
same, and the object of both must be to exclude 
all European influence from this hemisphere. 

[31] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Jefferson again alludes to this idea in his letter to 
President Madison of April 27th, 1809, in which he 
speaks of Napoleons's consenting to the United States 
"receiving Cuba into our Union to prevent our aid 
to Mexico and the other provinces"; thus alluding to 
that assistance on the part of the United States of 
America to Latin America which was discussed by 
Congressman James Holland, of North Carolina, in the 
United States Congress on June 14th, 1808, in the 
course of a debate to appropriate money for the 
relief of the prisoners held in Venezuela who had 
taken part in the Miranda expedition of 1 806 : — 

Sir, had I been a young man, and had nothing 
else to engage in, I should myself have been happy 
to join in a number of brave fellows in emanci- 
pating an enslavened country — and the provinces 
of South America are in a miserable situation, and 
there is no danger of worsting them by the 
change 

If they had succeeded in their attempt and lib- 
erated the provinces (and I hope they will soon 
become free provinces), they would have been 
considered the benefactors of mankind ; they 
would have received the thanks of all the friends 
of humanity ; but, poor fellows ! they were de- 
feated. In going with a design to revolutionize 
the Carraccas, they might have gone with 
patriotic motives. 

Congressman Joseph Pearson, of North Carolina, 
also spoke, urging the appropriation, which was 

[32] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

finally lost by a tie vote. In the course of the dis- 
cussion, which took up two entire days of the time of 
the House of Representatives of the United States of 
America, it appeared that thirty young citizens of 
that republic had taken part in Miranda's expedition, 
and that Miranda himself had been a guest of Presi- 
dent Jefferson at his table in the White House. 

On March 7th, 1809, Thomas Sumter, of South 
Carolina, was appointed United States Minister to the 
Portuguese Court, which had been residing at Rio de 
Janeiro, Brazil, since 1807, when the Portuguese 
royal family had been expelled from continental 
Portugal by Napoleon's armies. It was apparently 
between January and June, 1809, that a "seditious 
proclamation" was circulated in Buenos Aires (it was 
sent to the Brigadier of the Royal Navy, Joachim de 
Molina, who was then in Lima, Peru, on June 10th, 
1809), one of the paragraphs of which reads as 
follows : — 

The valor with which the English Colonies of 
America fought for their freedom, which they now 
gloriously enjoy, covers our indolence with shame. 
We have yielded them the palm with which they 
have crowned the New World with an indepen- 
dent sovereignty. Even France and Spain made 
efforts to sustain them. The valor of those 
valiant Americans puts our lack of feeling to 
shame; they and England will protest the most 
just cause of our honor, provoked by outrages 
which have lasted for three hundred years. 

[33] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

This reads very much like an adaptation of the cir- 
cular letter of the Peruvian Jesuit father, Vicardo y 
Guzman, which, as we have already seen, was begun 
to be circulated in the Spanish colonies of America 
in 1791. 

In an anonymous letter written about this time to 
the governor of Montevideo, Francisco Xavier Elio, 
from some person in the interior of Peru (from internal 
evidence it seems probable that it was written in what 
is now Bolivia), we read that America should unite 
in a Central Junta, to be chosen by two oidores, 
(deputies) from each andiencia ; two persons, deputies, 
from each secular cabildo, two from each ecclesi- 
astical cabildo ; one fron each partido ; one from each 
cabezero de peovincia, and one half of the officials, 
with the qualification that, except the oidores, they 
shall all be patriots, and that, in addition to those 
named, as many others as may wish to be of service 
with talents or endeavors may come. This Junta 
shall determine which power they shall consider as 
their protector and guardian of the seas, whether 
England or the Anglo-Americans, shall be nearest 
through commercial interests ; and the latter will send 
makers of all manufactures, whereby the present 
conditions shall be remedied, by which so much 
money leaves the continent in the form of metal, but 
rather that it shall only leave in manufactures, and 
agricultural and industrial products. It was also in 
the year 1809 that Joseph Napoleon, then king of 

[34] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Spain, caused a paper to be circulated in South 
America stating that he wished to make South 
America free and independent of Europe, and that 
his agents were to hold out the United States as a 
model to the people of that continent. 

The beginning of the trade of Salem, Massachusetts, 
with South American ports may be mentioned here. 
Within less than four months after the inauguration of 
George Washington as President of the United States 
of America — on August 25th, 1789 — the schooner 
"Lark" arrived at Salem from Surinam with a cargo 
of sugar, inaugurating a commerce with that colony 
which lasted for seventy-one years. Many a cargo of 
coffee, cocoa, sugar, cotton, molasses, or distilled 
spirits was consigned from Surinam to the old Salem 
merchant princes, — William Gray, Elias H. Derby, the 
Crowninshields, Pickmans, Osgoods, Ornes and others 
of the Golden Book of Salem Commerce. In 1799 
and again in 1804 there were twelve vessels from 
Salem to Surinam. The trade with the adjoining 
colony of Cayenne was started in April, 1798, when 
the brig "Katy," Nathaniel Brown, master, cleared for 
that port with a cargo of fish, flour, bacon, butter, oil, 
tobacco, candles, and potter's ware. Between 18 10 
and 1877 three hundred vessels arrived at Salem from 
Cayenne. The foreign trade of Salem closed when 
the schooner "Mattie F.," belonging to Messrs. C. E. 
and B. H. Fabens, entered Salem from Cayenne on 
March 21st, 1877. 

[35] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

There is no more daringly adventurous story in all 
the annals of American commerce than these eighty- 
eight years of Salem's South American trade. From 
Surinam and Cayenne the Salem merchants pressed 
onward down the Brazil coast. In September, 1809, 
the brig "Welcome Return," Jeremiah Briggs, master, 
arrived at Salem, consigned to Josiah Dow, from 
Pernambuco. This Pernambuco trade lasted until 
185 1. A Salem-owned brig came in from Bahia with 
molasses in 18 19. There were three entries at Salem 
from Rio de Janeiro in 18 10, and the news of the 
glorious events of May 25 th, 18 10, first reached the 
United States on a Salem vessel that arrived at that 
port from Buenos Aires on August 21st, 18 10. The 
Rio de Janeiro trade continued until 1852. The 
finest vessel ever built in Salem, "Cleopatra's Barge," 
built by Mr. George Crowninshield, sailed from Rio 
de Janeiro on January 31st, 18 19, for Salem, Mass., 
with a cargo of hides, sugar, coffee and tapioca, which 
she had obtained there in exchange for New England 
manufactured products. Eight years before, in 
March, 181 1, Mr. Crowninshield' s ship "John" had 
entered Salem from Rio de Janeiro. 

The Salem-Buenos Aires trade lasted until August, 
i860, when the bark "Salem" returned to her home 
port for the last time. She was consigned to Mr. 
James Upton, whose family were prominent in the 
South American trade for over fifty years. The 
Uptons imported large quantities of hides and horns 

[36] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

from Montevideo, Uruguay, from 1839 to 1861, 
though the Salem trade with Montevideo had begun 
long before that, in June, 181 1, when the brig 
"Hope," Benjamin Jacobs, master, arrived at Salem 
consigned to Mr. Thomas H. Perkins, the purpose of 
whose long and useful life, so much of which was spent 
in promoting Pan-American commerce, has been per- 
petuated in his descendant, Mr. James H. Perkins, 
who is the vice-president of the first United States 
bank to open branches in South America. The Sa- 
lem trade with Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, lasted from 
18 1 7 to 1828. From 1824 to 1829 several brigs 
brought cocoa from Guayaquil — still a port of the 
Great Colombian Republic, as Ecuador did not be- 
come independent until 1830 — to Salem, where ships 
also arrived from Callao and Valparaiso. 

The following quotations from Manuel Palacio's 
"Outline of the Revolution in Spanish America," pub- 
lished in London in 18 17, is of interest as showing 
the effects of the example of the United States of 
America on the beginnings of the Venezuelan War of 
Independence in 18 10. It will be remembered that 
the first outbreak of American independence in that 
year occurred at Caracas : — 

The Congress now turned its attention to that 
new Constitution which was to insure the liberty 
of Venezuela. The plan of this Constitution had 
been formed by Don F. X. Ustariz. He, and 
many others of the greatest respectability, had 

[37] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

intimated from the first their opinion, that, in case 
of a final separation from Spain, the best form of 
government to be established in Venezuela was a 
federal one, of which the United States gave an 
example. In order to disseminate this opinion, es- 
says, . . . written by one Burke, . . . were in- 
serted in the Caracas Gazette for many successive 
months solely to prove the advantages resulting 
from this Constitution of the North Americas. 

The American Advertiser of Philadelphia for June 
7th, 1 8 10, contains an account of the late revolution in 
Caracas, in which it states that "the people [of South 
America] have no other idea than to make themselves 
independent of every foreign power. In such a 
circumstance we [of the United States of America] 
cannot be indifferent spectators." It was also in 18 10 
that the Venezuelan, Juan German Roscio, secretely 
made a translation of Thomas Paine's " Rights of Man " 
(which, as we have already seen, Antonio Narifio 
knew about sixteen years before in Bogota, while 
Miranda had met Paine in the United States twenty- 
seven years before) and published extracts from it in 
Caracas in 1811. On June nth, 18 10, Juan Vicente 
de Bolivar and Telesforo de Orea left for the United 
States of America with instructions to solicit the aid 
of that country for their compatriots, and in the same 
month Robert K. Lowry was appointed Marine and 
Commercial Agent of the United States of America 
to the provinces of Venezuela, beginning his long and 
useful consular career therein. On June 28th, 18 10, 

[38] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Joel Roberts Poinsett was appointed Agent for Com- 
merce and Seaman of the United States of America 
at the port of Buenos Aires. The following extract 
from the instructions issued to him by Secretary- 
James Monroe on that day are deserving of careful 
attention, as showing the attitude of the United States 
of America towards the people of Spanish America in 
the year that witnessed the beginning of their War of 
Independence : — 

As a crisis is approaching which must produce 
great changes in the situation of Spanish America, 
and may dissolve altogether its colonial relations 
to Europe, and as the geographical position of 
the United States, and other obvious consider- 
ations, give them an intimate interest in whatever 
may effect the destiny of that part of the American 
Continent, it is our duty to turn our attention to 
this important subject, and to take such steps, 
not incompatible with the neutral character and 
honest policy of the United States, as the occasion 
renders proper. With this in view, you have been 
selected to proceed, without delay, to Buenos 
Aires. You will make it your object, whenever it 
may be proper, to diffuse the impression that the 
United States cherish the sincerest good will 
toward the people of Spanish America as neigh- 
bors, as belonging to the same portion of the 
globe and as having a mutual interest in culti- 
vating friendly intercourse ; that this disposition 
will exist, whatever may be their internal system 
or European relation, with respect to which no 
interference of any sort is pretended ; and that, in 

[39] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

the event of a political separation from the parent 
country, and of the establishment of an inde- 
pendent system of national government, it will 
coincide with the sentiments and policy of the 
United States to promote the most friendly re- 
lations, and the most liberal intercourse, between 
the inhabitants of this hemisphere, as having all 
a common interest, and as lying under a common 
obligation to maintain that system of peace, 
justice, and good will, which is the only source of 
happiness for nations. 

Whilst you inculcate these as the principles 
and dispositions of the United States, it will be no 
less proper to ascertain those on the other side, 
not only towards the United States, but in reference 
to the great nations of Europe, and to the com- 
mercial and other connections with them, re- 
spectively; and, generally, to inquire into the 
state, the characteristics, and the proportions, as 
to numbers, intelligence, and wealth, of the several 
parties, the amount of population, the extent and 
organization of the military force, and the pe- 
cuniary resources of the country. 

The real as well as ostensible object of your 
mission is to explain the mutual advantages of 
commerce with the United States, to promote 
liberal and stable regulations, and to transmit 
reasonable information on the subject. In order 
that you may render the more service in this 
respect, and that you may, at the same time, enjoy 
the greater protection and respectability, you will 
be furnished with a credential letter, such as is 
held by sundry agents of the United State in the 
West Indies, and as was lately held by one at 

[40] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Havana, and under the sanction of which you 
will give the requisite attention to commercial 
objects. 

Two of the remarkable Pan-American expressions 
of the year 1810 were those of the Argentinian, Ber- 
nardino Rivadavia, and the Chilean, Juan Martinez de 
Rosas. Rivadavia's circular letter of May 27th, 18 10, 
communicating the news of the installation of the 
first Junta at Buenos Aires, speaks of the union and 
harmony which should prevail among citizens of the 
same origin, dependence, and interests, and in Rosas' 
"Declaration of the Rights of the Chilean People" we 
find the following striking statements : — 

1. The people of Latin America cannot de- 
fend their sovereignty single-handed ; in order to 
develop themselves they need to unite, not in an 
internal organization, but for external security 
against the plans of Europe, and to avoid wars 
among themselves. 

2. This does not mean that the European 
states are to be regarded as enemies; on the 
contrary, the friendly relations with them must be 
strengthened as far as possible. 

3. The American states must unite in a con- 
gress in order to endeavor to organize and to 

fortify themselves The day when America, 

united in a congress, whether of the two conti- 
nents, or of the South, shall speak to the rest of 
the world, her voice will make itself respected and 
her resolve would be opposed with difficulty. 

[4i] 



I 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

The foregoing was reechoed in the Supreme Junta 
of Venezuela of April 27th, 1810, to the authorities of 
all the American capitals, urging them to contribute 
to the great work of the Spanish-American Con- 
federation ; and their sending Bolivar and Orea so 
soon afterward to the United States shows that they 
were also thinking of their sister republic to the 
north. This is confirmed by the speech of the Co- 
lombian patriot, Miguel Pombo, in 18 10, to the peo- 
ple of Bogota, in which he says: "The American 
voice is raised and it has sworn to avenge the blood 
of its Franklins and Washingtons." 

It is interesting to note in this connection the many 
references to the United States of America in the 
Gazeta de Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires Gazette} for 
1 8 10 and subsequently. The issue of September 
27th, 1 8 10, alludes to the freedom of the press in the 
United States, while that for October 25th prints a 
patriotic song, one verse of which reads as follows, 
in translation : — 

If there was a Washington in the North land, 
We have many Washingtons in the South ; 
If arts and commerce have prospered there, — 

Courage, fellow countrymen ; 

Let us follow their example. 

In the issue for November 28th the reader is urged to 
"listen to Mr Jefferson, who describes all the parts of 
such an association for us in his ' Observations on Vir- 
ginia.' " A page of translation from Jefferosn follows. 

[42] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

On January 1 5th, 181 1, the Congress of the United 
States of America, acting in response to a secret 
message of President Madison regarding the occu- 
pation of the Floridas, passed in secret session a 
resolution which recited that : — <-- 

Taking into view the peculiar situation of 
Spain and of her American provinces ; and con- 
sidering the influence which the destiny of the 
territory adjoining the southern border of the 
United States may have on their security, tran- 
quility, and commerce, — 

Resolved, That the United States, under the 
peculiar circumstances of the existing crises, can- 
not, without serious inquietude, see any part of the 
said territory pass into the hands of any foreign 
power ; and that a due regard to their own safety 
compels them to provide, under certain con- 
tingencies, for the temporary occupation of the 
said territory 

A few months before this Thomas Sumter had 
been received at Petropolis by the Prince Regent, 
Joao VI, as United States Minister. On April 30th, 
181 1, Joel Roberts Pionsett, of South Carolina, who, 
as we have seen, had been appointed agent for Com- 
merce and Seamen in the port of Buenos Aires on 
June 28th, 1 8 10, was given a new commission as Con- 
sul General of the United States of America to Buenos 
Aires, Peru and Chile. At the time of the adoption 
of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, on 
July 5th, 181 1, we find the patriot Francisco Javier 

[43] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Yanes, whose illustrious grandson has so worthily- 
maintained the family's Pan-American reputation as 
Assistant Director of the Pan-American Union, urging 
his colleagues to declare their independence on July 
4th, as by doing so they would follow the example of 
their brothers in North America. On July 30th, 
181 1, the Confederation of Venezuela issued a mani- 
festo from the Federal Palace at Caracas of the 
reasons which influenced them in the formation of 
absolute independence, in which the United States of 
America is referred to. When the Argentine envoys, 
Belgrano and Echevarria, bade good-bye to Dr. 
Francia, the famous dictator and liberator of Paraguay, 
on October 12th, 181 1, he offered them a handsome 
steel engraving of Franklin that hung in his study. 
"This is the first Democrat in the world and the 
model we should imitate," he said, when he presented 
it to Echevarria. The Argentines noticed that Francia 
seemed to know something of the War of Inde- 
pendence of the United States of America. 

With these growing inter-American relations it is 
only natural that President Madison should speak as 
follows in his message to Congress of November 5 th, 
181 1, — in words so feelingly alluded to by the late 
Emilio Mitre on the occasion of Secretary Root's 
visit to Buenos Aires in 1906: — 

In contemplating the scenes which distinguish 
this momentous epoch, and estimating their claim 
to our attention, it is impossible to overlook those 

[44] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

developing themselves among the great com- 
munities which occupy the southern portion of 
our hemisphere, and extend into our neighbor- 
hood. An enlarged philanthropy and an en- 
lightened forecase concur in imposing on the 
national councils an obligation to take a deep 
interest in their destinies, to cherish reciprocal 
sentiments of good will, to regard the progress of 
events, and not to be unprepared for whatever 
order of things may be ultimately established. 

This was a message sent to a special session of 
Congress that was called to discuss matters connected 
with the impending war with England ; and it is all 
the more noteworthy, as signifying the interest felt by 
one of the greatest United States statesmen in the 
destinies of our South American neighbors at this 
moment of national stress. 

Before this message had been sent to Congress 
Secretary Monroe had received from the agent from 
Venezuela, Telesforo de Orea, a copy of the act of 
Venezuelan independence ; and he seems to have been 
also aware of the progress of the revolutionary move- 
ment in other parts of Latin America. 

On November 12th, 181 1, "such portion of the 
President's message as referred to South America" 
was referred to a committee of the House of Repre- 
sentatives, consisting of Samuel L. Mitchill, of New 
York ; William Blackledge, of North Carolina ; Wil- 
liam W. Bibb, of Georgia ; Epaphroditus Champion, 
of Connecticut ; William Butler, of South Carolina ; 

[45] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Samuel Taggert, of Massachusetts ; and Samuel Shaw, 
of Vermont. 

As it was Mitchill who was the first, so far as can 
be ascertained, to offer in a foreign legislative body a 
resolution of sympathy with the struggling Latin- 
American countries, some account of his life may be 
of interest. Samuel Latham Mitchill was born at 
North Hamstead, Long Island, August 20th, 1764, and 
died in New York City on September 7th, 183 1. Edu- 
cated at the University of Edinburgh, few members of 
any Congress have won permanent fame in as many 
useful branches of public service as he. His chemical, 
geological, and scientific studies were practical as 
well as theoretical ; he was undoubtedly the originator 
of the idea of harnessing the water power of Niagara 
Falls, and he accompanied Fulton on the first voy- 
age of the "Clermont." He founded the first medical 
journal in the United States, and was often alluded to 
as the " Nestor of American Science." An interesting 
letter from Jeremy Robinson, who had recently been 
agent of the United States of America at Lima, Peru, 
to Mitchill from Valparaiso, 'Chile, is printed on page 
43, Vol. XIX, of Mies' Register. 

It is extremely probable that Mitchill met Miranda 
during the latter's sojourn in New York City, and 
possible that he saw Bolivar on his visit there in 
October, 1806. 

His memorable resolution, offered on December 
10th, 181 1, was as follows: — 

[46] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Whereas, Several of the American Spanish 
Provinces have represented to the United States 
that it has been found expedient for them to 
associate and form federal governments upon the 
elective and representative plan, and to declare 
themselves free and independent ; Therefore be it 

Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives of the United States of America in 
Congress Assembled, That they behold with 
friendly interest, the establishment of independent 
sovereignties by the Spanish Provinces in America, 
consequent upon the actual state of monarchy to 
which they belong; that as neighbors and in- 
habitants of the same hemisphere, the United 
States feel great solicitude for their welfare ; and 
that, when these Provinces shall have attained the 
conditions of nations, by the just exercise of their 
rights, the Senate and House will unite with the 
Executive in establishing with them, as sovereign 
and independent states, such amicable relations 
and commercial intercourse as may require their 
legislative authority. 

With such friendly resolutions before Congress, it 
is therefore no wonder that the Commissioners from 
the United Provinces of Rio de la Plata (now Argen- 
tina), Diego de Saavedra and Juan Pedro de Aguirre, 
who seem to have arrived in the United States in the 
latter part of 181 1, wrote to Secretary James Monroe 
on February 5th, 181 2, of the "liberality with which 
they had been treated by the Government and in- 
habitants of the United States," whose "favorable 
disposition to the cause which our Government main- 

[47] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

tains, is marked by our gratitude and respect," while 
Carrera, then Dictator of Chile, remarked on February 
ioth, 1812, on receiving Joel Roberts Poinsett, the 
first representative of the United States of America 
in Chile, as follows : — 

That power [the United States] attracts all our 
attentions and our attachments. You may safely 
assure it of the sincerity of our friendly sentiments. 

Poinsett sincerely and frankly replied that "The 
Americans of the North generally take the greatest 
interest in the success of these countries, and ardently 
wish for the happiness and prosperity of their brothers 
to the south. I will make known to the Government 
of the United States the friendly sentiments of Your 
Excellency, and I felicitate myself on having been 
the first who had the honorable charge of establishing 
relations between two generous nations, who ought to 
consider themselves as friends and natural allies." 

As soon as news reached the United States of the 
terrible earthquake at Caracas, Venezuela, of March 
26th, 1 8 1 2, the sympathies of the people were aroused 
and manifested in various ways, of which the prompt 
action by Congress is an example. On May 4th, 1 8 1 2, 
a law was passed authorizing the President to expend 
$50,000 to purchase a quantity of provisions and 
present them to the Government of Venezuela on 
behalf of the United States. Alexander Scott was 
entrusted with this duty; he arrived at La Guaira on 

[48] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

June 22nd, 1 8 1 2, the five vessels in which the flour and 
other provisions were sent coming soon afterwards. 
So far as can be ascertained this was the first con- 
gressional appropriation of its kind, and is all the 
more noteworthy as occurring when the United States 
was on the brink of war with England, when every 
penny available was being used for hostile purposes. 
This sum would probably represent nearly $120,000 
now. John C. Calhoun, later Vice-President and 
Secretary of both the State and War Departments of 
the United States of America, was very active in 
securing the passage of this bill, having the amount 
raised from $30,000 to $50,000, thus evidencing the 
Pan-Americanism that characterized his long and 
useful life. 

Ten years later Captain Bache, of the United 
States army, became acquainted in Bogota with the 
officer who had received this "timely offering." "He 
reverts, at every proper occasion, to the circumstance, 
with a fervor which proves that his gratitude has not 
been cooled with the lapse of time." Five years later 
the South American, Manuel Palacio, wrote : " It was 
only by the liberality of the Congress of the United 
States that the few whom the earthquake spared did 
not perish by famine"; and the Mexican Mier, writing 
at the end of July, 18 12, says : "We have learnt with 
pleasure that the United States have sent aid to 
Venezuela after the earthquake, — $50,000, and pro- 
visions of all kinds, — as well as arms and ammunition 

[49] 

5 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

to Buenos Aires." The last part of the foregoing 
sentence refers to the mission of Diego de Saavedra 
and Juan Pedro de Aguirre to the United States. 
One of their letters to Secretary Monroe has already- 
been quoted. They returned to Buenos Aires from 
the United States on May 19th, 1812. Apparently, 
in July of 18 12, the matrons of Buenos Aires met 
and offered to raise the money to pay for these arms 
and munitions of war by subscription. Maria Eugenia 
de Escalada, the half sister of General Jose de San 
Martin's wife, took a prominent part in this patriotic 
endeavor and contributed two ounces of gold thereto. 
It will be remembered that San Martin had landed 
from Europe just before March, 18 12, and that 
consequently these arms from the United States must 
have been among the very first with which his army 
was equipped. 

The Gazeta de Buenos Aires, to which we have 
already alluded, contains many references to the 
United States and to Pan-American matters in gen- 
eral from the date of its beginning in 18 10. We have 
already seen that in the issue for November 28th, 
1 8 10, a page of translation of President Jefferson's 
"Observations on Virginia" is printed, and the 
number for September 10th, 18 12, mentioned the 
arrival of the United States ship "Laura" that had left 
Boston on the 4th of the previous April. 

Writing in London in August, 1812, the Mexican 
Mier, mentions that "Anglo-Americans have arrived 

[5o] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

in Chile with a printing-press and guns," — both use- 
ful in this critical stage in the Chilean struggle for 
independence. The printing-press had arrived at 
Valparaiso from New York on November 24th, 181 1, 
on the United States ship "Galloway," which also 
brought three printers — Samuel Burr Johnston, Wil- 
liam H. Burbidge and Simon Garrison— from that 
country to set the new industry in operation. John- 
ston was made a Chilean citizen in March, 18 14, be- 
cause of his "noteworthy merit, services, and zeal for 
freedom," — one of the first foreigners on whom Chilean 
citizenship was conferred. His exploits in the Chilean 
navy will be enumerated in a later chapter. One of 
the first efforts of this printing-press was to publish 
the first Chilean newspaper, the Aurora, which lasted 
from February, 18 12, to April 1st, 18 13 ; and it had 
many opportunities of chronicling news from its native 
country therein. Almost every number published in 
18 1 2 contains some reference or allusion to the 
United States. On the 13th of February, 18 13, it 
mentions the arrival of the United States frigate "Me- 
lantho," Captain Richard R. Boughan, with a cargo 
of linen goods and canvas ; and in the issue for March 
2nd we find notices of books published in the United 
States, as well as a detailed account of the reception 
of the United States Consul General Poinsett, by Jose 
Miguel Carrera, then Dictator of Chile. In the next 
number, that for March 5th, Matias A. Hoevel, a 
naturalized citizen of the United States of America, of 

[51] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Swedish birth, petitions the Chilean Government to 
suspend actual operation of the Reglamento de 
Comercio for February 2 1st, 181 1, for a little while, so 
that business men from the United States can take 
full advantage thereof. On March 12th we find a 
description of a new printing-press recently invented 
in the United States, and in an editorial on March 
19th, the editor, that indefatigable early Pan-American, 
Camilo Enriquez, urges that books be brought from 
the United States, especially grammars and dictionaries, 
so that the people of Chile may learn English. John 
Quincy Adams's speech of July 4th, 181 1, in Wash- 
ington, is translated and printed in this number. Just 
as we find later that the people of Buenos Aires 
learned of Bolivar's activities through the United 
States newspaper, so on April 2nd, 18 12, extracts from 
papers from Boston regarding Caracas appeared in 
the Aurora of Santiago de Chile, which also printed 
a translation of Jefferson's inaugural on November 
10th, 18 1 2, and Washington's Farewell Address in its 
issues for December 10th and 17th. The fourth of 
July, 18 12, was enthusiastically celebrated at Santiago 
de Chile. The Government took "every imaginable 
interest," and a Pan-American hymn was sung in the 
streets, a stanza of which reads : — 

Al Sud Fuerte le extiende sus Brazos 
La Patria Ilustre de Washington ; 
El Nuevo Mundo todo se reune 
En eterna Confederacion. 

[52] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

[The illustrious fatherland of Washington extends 
her arms to the strong South; all the New World 
unites in an eternal confederation.] 

We called Camilo Enriquez a Pan-American just 
now ; if he had done nothing else to justify this title, 
surely the foregoing stanza which he wrote indicates 
his Pan-American views. Later in his useful life 
(1769- 1 82 5), when in exile in Buenos Aires in 181 7, 
he wrote a play whose scene is laid in Philadelphia. 
The Chilean historian, Amunategui, says of him that 
"The brilliant perspective of the great republic of 
the United States was always his model." 

One of the last numbers of the Aurora, that of 
March 18th, 18 13, mentions the arrival of the U. S. S, 
"Essex," Captain David Porter, at Valparaiso. There 
was some United States shipping to look after on the 
west coast of South America then. Four American 
whalers had arrived at Talcuahuano early in Febru- 
ary, 18 1 3, and in the previous year twenty-six of 
them, mostly from Massachusetts, were off the coasts 
of Peru and Chile. Captain David Porter sailed in the 
U. S. S. "Essex," forty-six guns, from the capes of 
the Delaware on October 28th, 18 12. The "Essex" 
was built in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, in 
1799, not far from where there was then playing as a 
child another American destined to be famous in 
Chilean History, — William Wheelwright. 

After passing the straits of La Maire on February 
26th, Captain Porter found himself about twenty 

[53] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

miles from the coast of Chile ; and on the morning of 
the 15 th of March he entered the harbor of Val- 
paraiso. We will quote his own words as to his 
reception there : — 

Before I got to anchor the captain of the port, 
accompanied by another officer, came on board 
in the Governor's barge, with an offer of every 
civility, assistance, and accommodation, that Val- 
paraiso could afford ; and to my astonishment, I 
was informed that they had shaken off all their 
allegiance to Spain ; that the ports of Chile were 
open to all nations ; that they looked up to the 
United States of America for example and pro- 
tection ; that our arrival would be considered the 
most joyful event, as their commerce had been 
much harassed by corsairs from Peru, sent out by 
the Viceroy of that province, to capture and send 
in for adjudication all American vessels destined for 
Chile, and that five of them had disappeared from 
before the port only a few days before my arrival, 
and had captured several American whalers, and 
sent them to Lima. 

The affair of the salute was arranged, and, after 
anchoring, I saluted the town with twenty-one guns, 
which were punctually returned ; immediately after 
which I waited on the Governor, Don Francisco 
Lastra, who gave me the most friendly, and at the 
same time unceremonious reception. On my 
passing the American armed brig "Colt," she fired 
a salute of nine guns, which was returned by the 
"Essex" by seven. I had not been long with the 
Governor, before I discovered that I had, happily 
for my purpose, got among staunch republicans, 

[54] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

men filled with revolutionary principles, and ap- 
parently desirous of establishing a form of govern- 
ment founded on liberty. The captain of the 
port, whose name I do not recollect, was a sterling, 
honest patriot, and spoke his sentiments boldly; 
he evidently felt as those should feel who are de- 
termined to be free ; appeared sensible they had 
yet much to do ; and I am sure was resolved to 
do his utmost to emancipate his country. 

A courier was immediately dispatched, by the 
American vice and deputy Consul, to Santiago, 
the capital of Chile, to inform Mr. Poinsett, the 
American Consul General, of our arrival in the 
port of Valparaiso. 

When we first arrived, a few boats came off 
with fruit ; in a few hours our supply was abundant. 
Nothing could exceed the excellence and abun- 
dance of the apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, 
melons, onions, potatoes and vegetables of every 
description. The potatoes are superior in size 
and quality to those of any other country, and are 
indigenous. Tons of the foregoing articles were 
sold to our people, which were laid by as a sea 
stock, as well as hogs and poultry in great num- 
bers, and of the best qualities; the fowls are of 
the largest size. No part of the world could have 
afforded us a more ample supply of everything we 
wanted of the provision kind. The flour and 
bread were of a very superior quality, and could 
be procured in any quantities without difficulty. 
All the dry provisions were put up in hides ; the 
flour was better secured in them and more closely 
packed than it could possibly be in barrels ; and, 
although much heavier, we found them more 

[55] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

manageable. The use they make of hides is 
astonishing; the most of the furniture for their 
mules and horses, and their houses, on some parts 
of their coast, even their boats, or as they are 
called, balsas are made of this article. It is used 
for every purpose to which it is possible to apply 
it, either whole, cut in pieces or in long strips. 
When used for balsas, two hides each, cut some- 
thing in the form of a canoe, with the seams 
upward, are blown up by means of a reed, and 
stopped together; a piece of board is then laid 
across to sit on, and on this frail machine they 
venture a considerable distance to sea. The 
laque, for the use of which the Chileans are so 
famous, is formed of a very long strip of hide, with 
a running noose, and their dexterity in using it, 
in catching animals at full speed, is surprising. 
Every pack-horseman and driver of a jackass is 
furnished with one of them ; and so much do they 
delight in them, or in showing their dexterity, 
that when they wish to catch any one of their 
drove, either to load, unload, or for any other 
purpose, they take their distance, deliberately 
coil up their laque, and never fail of throwing it 
over the neck of the animal wanted. 

On the 17th, Captain Munson, of the American 
brig in port, arrived from Santiago, bringing me 
a letter from the Consul General, inviting myself 
and officers, in the name of the Government of 
Chile, to visit the capital, and informed us that 
horses and every other convenience were provided 
for on the road. Captain Munson was also de- 
sired by the Consul to inform me that the Presi- 
dent and Junta, with a large military escort, would 

[56] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

meet us at a considerable distance from the city, 
and that, in a political view, they considered our 
arrival as the most happy event. Captain Munson 
stated that the bells had been rung the whole day, 
and illuminations had taken place the evening 
after our arrival was announced, and that it was 
generally believed that I had brought from my 
country nothing less than proposals for a friendly 
alliance with Chile, and assurance of assistance in 
their struggle for independence. This idea I felt 
no disposition to do away with. 

Agreeably to the Governor's invitation, we at- 
tended his party, where we found a much larger 
and more brilliant assemblage of ladies than we 
could have expected in Valparaiso. We found 
much fancy and considerable taste displayed in 
their dress, and many of them very handsome, both 
in person and in face ; their complexion remark- 
ably fine, and their manners modest and attracting. 
With their grace, their beauty of person and com- 
plexion, and with their modesty, we were de- 
lighted, and could almost fancy we had gotten 
amongst our own fair countrywomen. 

After all was over, "we returned on board our ship, 
pleased with the novelties of a Chilean ball, and much 
gratified by the solicitude shown by every one to 
make our stay amongst them agreeable." Before the 
"Essex" left Valparaiso, which Porter describes as 
"pleasantly situated, and has a considerable com- 
merce," Luis Carrera, "a spirited youth about twenty- 
two years of age," the brother of the President, dined on 
the "Essex" with Consul General Poinsett and Consul 

[57] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Haywell, the representatives of the United States of 
America in Chile. The night before sailing the Gov- 
ernor of Valparaiso entertained them with a dinner 
and ball. "The night was spent with much hilarity." 
It is interesting to note that Admiral David Glasgow 
Farragut was with Porter at this time, as a midship- 
man, only thirteen years old. 

The Seminario Republicano was also published at 
Santiago de Chile at this time. It was founded and 
conducted by Camilo Enriquez and Antonio Jose de 
Irisarri, who afterwards died in Brooklyn. In its first 
number, for October 30th, 18 13, we find "examples 
of tolerance of Madison, Jefferson and Washington," 
and in the issue for November 10th, a version of a 
hymn called "Hail, Great Republic of the World!" 
which the Seminario states was the national hymn of 
the United States of America, dedicated to the people 
of Buenos Aires. But the Gazeta de Buenos Aires 
had not been behind its Chilean contemporary in in- 
forming the public in general about the United States 
of America during the year 1813. The numbers for 
July 28th and August 4th, 18 13, contain a long dis- 
sertation on the duties and functions of the Executive 
Power in the United States. The number for August 
1 8th, 18 13, quotes Chief Justice Marshall at length. 
On October 6th, 18 13, the good people of Buenos Aires 
read in their Gazeta Ministerial a long translation from 
the New York Evening Post of the preceding June 
2 1st, which stated that "According to a letter from 

[58] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Cadiz, dated April 13 th, the Spaniards complain that 
the United States approve of the revolutionary spirit 
that abounds in their American Dominions, and that 
we have openly recognized the rights that those 
countries have to revolt." The number for December 
1st, 18 1 3, quotes from Fisher Ames: "Those who 
govern should remember that to preserve a free 
government a supine security is almost treason." 

On February 2nd, 18 13, a Spanish translation of 
Washington's Farewell Address was published at 
Buenos Aires ; the translation was made by no less 
a person than General Manuel Belgrano, who stated 
in his Preface thereto that the Farewell Address first 
came into his hands about the year 1805; that he 
undertook to translate it himself, but it was lost with 
all his papers in "his dangerous and hasty Combat of 
March 9th, 181 1, at Tacuari ; thereupon, as he was 
"anxious that the lessons of the American Hero might 
be propagated among us," he received another copy 
from the hands of David C. De Forest; and the 
American Dr. Redhead, who was also then living in 
Buenos Aires, assisted him in the translation. He 
alludes to Washington as "that hero worthy of the 
admiration of our Age and of the Generations to 
come, example of moderation and of true patriotism, 
who bade farewell to his fellow-citizens, on leaving 
office, giving them the most important and salutary 
lessons ; and in speaking of them, I speak of all those 
we have about us, and with all those who may have 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

the glory to call themselves Americans." He also 
states that "I merely wish to beseech the Government, 
my fellow-citizens and all who think of the happiness 
of America, not to separate this little Book from their 
pocket. Let them read, study and meditate on it, 
and determine to imitate that great man, so that we 
may arrive at the end to which we aspire, — to consti- 
tute ourselves into a free and independent Nation." 
The letter of Juan Manuel de Luca to the Vice- 
Consul of the United States of America in Buenos 
Aires, William Gilchrist Miller, dated February ioth, 
1813, is of interest at this state of our narrative : — 

On the 31st of last month the General As- 
sembly was installed, which was announced to the 
froe provinces within our limits on October 23rd, 
last, having been recognized and sworn to worthily 
and with all solemnity. 

The status of legitimate and sovereign rep- 
resentation to which these provinces have been 
raised by common vote, presents to-day the most 
happy occasion of assuring your Excellency that, 
its national form having been created, by order of 
my Government I have the honor to communi- 
cate to you that his Excellency desires nothing 
so greatly as to initiate with those free countries 
of North America those commercial relations of 
mutual interest and frankness which open the 
channels to industry and prosperity of States, 
more indeed in those in whose origin is seen the 
same principles which have governed our political 
regeneration. I have the honor to communicate 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

such a noteworthy event to you, assuring you at 
the same time that my Government instructs me 
to extend every consideration to you, who are so 
worthy of your representative character. 

I have the honor to be, Your very obedient 
servant, Juan Manuel de Luca, 

Secretary of the Ad interim, Government. 

A week later, on February 17th, 18 13, we find de 
Luca sending a similar notification to United States 
Consul Poinsett in Chile. The Argentine historian, 
Palomeque, commenting on this, states that "The 
directors of the Argentine Revolution had formed 
such an opinion of the worth of North America [the 
United States of America] that they were already 
seeking their alliance in 181 3." 

On July 2 1st, 1813, the Triumvirate, — Nicolas 
Rodriguez Pena, Jose Julian Perez, and Antonio A. 
Gomez, — developed the foregoing ideas of Secre- 
tary Luca in the following important dispatch to 
President Madison : — 

Since the cry of freedom resounded on the 
wide shores of the Rio de la Plata, men accustomed 
to forecast events justly flattered themselves that 
the great people of the United States of North 
America would never be indifferent to the emanci- 
pation and prosperity of these Colonies. As they 
were starting on the same career which those had 
gloriously completed, and considering the identity 
of interests and reciprocity of relations, they hoped 
to make the first announcement to them and to 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

request their protection abroad, as the other 
powers were almost exclusively occupied in the 
ruinous continental war in which they were en- 
gaged, and were under various forms of tyranny 
and European ambition. Unfortunately the vac- 
illations and uncertainties which necessarily ac- 
company the transition from one government to 
another in countries long enslaved took place in 
these Provinces ; and did not allow what should 
have been the proper result of that great event to 
take place, — to establish direct relations with 
your country; a new obstacle which has em- 
barrassed and frustrated the best of our intentions 
having arisen, — the recent breaking off of re- 
lations between the United States and England. 

But finally the love of freedom overcame op- 
position, triumphed successfully over its enemies, 
and after a constant series of victories, has pro- 
duced order, which will assure the results of our 
glorious Revolution. As the general constituent 
Assembly of the United Provinces of the Rio de 
la Plata has been opened, and the Executive 
Authority constituted on bases none the less firm 
because they are liberal, and the great cause of 
those who sustain the rights of the people against 
the impious doctrine of those who endeavor to 
submit them to the proscription and the exclusive 
interests of Kings, will succeed by the declaration 
of independence in these southern hemispheres. 

In circumstances which are, therefore, happy, 
this Government has the honorable and cordial 
pleasure of announcing to your Excellency its 
permanent installation, and of conveying to the 
honorable American Congress, through the most 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

worthy medium of your Excellency, its highest 
prospect and sentiments of friendship. 

The dispositions which arise from the analogy 
of political principles and the indubitable char- 
acteristics of a national sympathy, should prepare 
a fraternal alliance which would truly unite the 
Americans of the North and South forever, 
causing the Congress of the United States and the 
Constituent Assembly of the United Provinces of 
the Rio de la Plata to adopt the basis of social 
compatibility to its full extent to show through its 
results that between the Governments of the two 
Americas there exist neither the lugubrious dis- 
tinctions which separate morality from politics, or 
the artificial manipulations of the ministries of the 
Old World. 

Will your Excellency be pleased to accept the 
assurances and the testimony of the highest con- 
sideration of this Government? 

May God guard your Excellency many years. 

Jose Julian Perez, 
Antonio A. Gomez, 
Nicolas Rodriguez Pena. 

Buenos Aires, July 21, 1813. 

To the very honorable President of the United 
States of North America, 
Washington. 

On the sixth anniversary of the first step toward 
Argentine independence, in the issue of May 25 th, 
1 8 16, the following interesting announcement is made 
in the Gazeta de Buenos Aires : — 

[63] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

We believe that we did not remember to 
mention on this day the events in the United 
States. America is the common fatherland of 
every American against the oppression of the 
monarchs of Europe, and Washington, although 
he was born of the north of this part of the globe, 
is also a fellow-countryman of those who were 
born in the south. Besides, the revolution in the 
United States is a finished picture, and a master- 
piece of wisdom and virtue ; ours is still in the 
workmen's hands. 

Buenos Aires received its news of what Bolivar and 
other patriots were accomplishing in Colombia, and 
what is now the Republic of Venezuela, by way of 
the United States, as well as their information about 
Mexico. Thus the issue of March 16th, 1814, quotes 
a long extract from the Boston Gazette of September 
16th, 1813, "which has just reached us," about a let- 
ter from Curacao, dated August 8th, 1813, concerning 
the recent patriotic victories in Venezuela. Again, in 
the issue of July 6th, 18 16 (three days before the 
Congress of Tucuman met and consolidated the 
liberties of the strong young Argentine Provinces), 
the latest news from Cartagena appeared, culled from 
papers in the United States. The issue of August 
31st, 18 16, reprints the famous letter of December 
31st, 18 1 5, from the Viceroy of Mexico to the Spanish 
Government, in which he speaks of the policy of the 
United States of America, of their interest in the 
emancipation of the Mexican provinces and in up- 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

lifting them by its system. When, on October 19th, 
1 8 16, a ship arrived from Philadelphia in the record 
time of two months and five days, bearing important 
news from Mexico, a special number of the Gazeta 
Ordinaria was prepared. 

In the issue for November 20th, 181 5, we read the 
following extract from the London Chronicle of Sep- 
tember 8th, 1 8 1 5 : "Moreloshas established an active 
and sure means of communicating with the United 
States. Parties of American volunteers have pene- 
trated into the interior provinces of New Spain, and 
have given a great impulse to the revolution of that 
country. Don Pedro Gual, Commissioner of the 
independent government of New Granada, has just 
arrived at New York. We know that the Washington 
Government is trying to facilitate the export of arms 
to Spanish America, and that the independent flag 
of that country is cordially received in the United 
States." President Madison's message to Congress of 
September 20th, 1 8 14, is reprinted in the issue for Feb- 
ruary 1st, 1815, with the following comment: "The 
following message of Mr. Madison to the United 
States Congress is a state paper which should be 
published for various reasons, as it gives an exact 
idea of the condition of that country, and its great re- 
sources." On April 6th, 1816, the indefatigable De 
Forest advertises for sale "A Concise History of the 
United States of America, from its origin to the year 
1807." Possibly some copies of this book were used 

[65] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

by those responsible for the memorable Declaration 
of Argentine Independence at Tucuman, on July 9th, 
1816. 

Though Chilean journalism of that time enjoyed a 
precarious and infrequent existence, it made various 
references to the United States. The Aurora, from 
which we have previously quoted, was succeeded by 
the Monitor Araucano, which lasted from April 6th, 
18 13, until after the defeat of the Chilean patriot 
army at Rancagua, its last issue appearing on Sep- 
tember 30th, 1 8 14. President Madison's message to 
the United States Congress on the war with England 
was printed in the numbers for July 20th and 22nd, 
181 3, and another of his messages appeared in the 
issue for April 22nd, 18 14. That for April 19th, 
mentions the victory of the United States troops over 
General Proctor, and the destruction of the British 
fleets on Lakes Ontario and Erie by the United 
States navy. Later, even the Royalist Gazeta del 
Gobierno de Chile turned to President Madison for 
inspiration. Even though all the Auroras and Moni- 
tor Araucanos were ordered to be confiscated on 
January 10th, 18 15, the Gazeta printed President 
Madison's message to Congress on the continuation 
of the war with England in its numbers for July 27th 
and August 3rd, 181 5. It must have been news; but 
the war with England had been over for six months 
when it was printed. 

On January 2nd, 18 14, in a speech made in honor of 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Simon Bolivar at Caracas, the Governor of Caracas 
stated that — 

.... a thousand glorious events make the 
liberator of Venezuela a hero worthy of being 
placed by the side of the immortal Washington ; 
and to a certain degree he has added to his valor 
and military skill the wisdom and policy of his 
companion, Franklin. 

The president of the municipality, Juan Antonio 
Rodriguez Dominguez, in his speech referred to 
Washington as the "tutelary genius of the freedom 
of the United States of the North." On this same 
occasion Domingo Alzuru, well known for the perse- 
cutions inflicted on him by the Spaniards, and for 
his exalted patriotism, stated that — 

.... we have a hero .... whose name will 
be written in all the cultured nations of the Uni- 
verse on a par with that of Washington, and 
among those of Franklin, Brutus, Decius, Cassius, 
and Cimbrius. 

This ceremony was that through which Bolivar was 
popularly recognized as Dictator for such time as suf- 
ficed to affirm the freedom of the fatherland. One of 
the most interesting phases of the Pan-Americanism of 
this period is the relations between the national hero 
of Uruguay, Jose Artigas, and the United States of 
America. They are exemplified in the following 
letter from Artigas to President James Monroe, dated 
at Purificacion, September 1st, 1817: — 

[67] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Most Excellent Sir : 

I had the honor to communicate, in the first 
instance, with Mr. Thomas Lloyd Halsey, Consul 
of the United States in these provinces, and I have 
to congratulate myself on so fortunate an incident. 
I have tendered to him my respects and all my 
services ; and I will avail myself of this favorable 
occasion of presenting my most cordial respects to 
your Excellency. 

The various events of the Revolution have 
hitherto deprived me of the opportunity of ac- 
cording this duty with my wishes. I pray your 
Excellency to be pleased to accept them, now 
that I have the honor to offer them to you, with 
the same sincerity that I strive to promote the 
public weal and the glory of the Republic. All 
my efforts are directed to their support, aided by 
the sacrifices of thousands of my fellow-citizens. 
May heaven grant our wishes. 

In that event I shall still more warmly renew 
to your Excellency the assurance of my cordial 
regard, and of the high consideration with which 
I have the honor to be, most Excellent Sir, 
your Excellency's most obedient, respectful and 
constant servant, Jqs , Artigas> 

Consul Halsey was an interesting pioneer of United 
States interests and influence in the River Plate. His 
home was in Providence, Rhode Island. Appointed 
Consul in Buenos Aires by President Madison in May, 
1813, he did not arrive there until the end of that 
year; he continued in office until about January 24th, 

[68] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

1818, the four years of his incumbency being critically 
historical ones for the country of his official residence. 
He was a man of somewhat impulsive character, well- 
intentioned and at times far-seeing, who had very 
strong ideas on the importance of increasing the 
prestige of his country in the River Plate countries. 
He was engaged in business throughout his Consul- 
ship, as the Buenos Aires consulate did not become 
one of career until long afterward. Possibly through 
these business connections he seems to have been on 
bad terms with his fellow-countryman David C. De 
Forest. 

Although Halsey is still commendingly referred 
to in Argentina as having introduced various use- 
ful breeds of sheep into that country, he seems to 
have incurred the displeasure of the Argentine 
Government at the time of his official residence 
therein by taking an active part in various political 
matters, though this very activity doubtless made him 
friends among the people of Buenos Aires. From 
various indirect sources it seems highly probable that 
Halsey offered Artigas asylum in the United States 
of America, especially as the report that he did so 
occurs persistently in Uruguayan historical writings. 
From the somewhat fragmentary correspondence on 
file in the Department of State at Washington from 
him, he seems to have been interested in Uruguayan 
affairs. There is a curious reference in a dispatch of 
John Murray Forbes, agent of the United States at 

[69] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Buenos Aires, to the Department of State on De- 
cember 4th, 1820, to the effect that Halsey had 
furnished Artigas with arms and had personal corre- 
spondence with him. Such action is wholly in ac- 
cordance with his dispatch to Secretary Monroe of 
November 7th, 181 5, urging the United States to loan 
money and arms to Argentina, and on July 3rd, 18 16, 
six days before the memorable Congress at Tucuman, 
he writes again to the Department of State in a similar 
strain. Before waiting for any authorization or in- 
structions, so far as can be ascertained, he guaranteed 
a loan made by General Devereux, who was also a 
citizen of the United States of America, to the Argen- 
tine Government ; and it would seem that he had a 
perfect right to do this in his private business capacity, 
which was often, as in the case of other United States 
consular representatives at that time, inextricably 
interwoven with his representative character. Pro- 
fessor Paxson states that this loan "saved the life of 
the existing Argentine Government." Devereux' s 
commission as General was received from the Govern- 
ment of the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata 
at about this time. In addition to the loan above 
referred to, he gave the Buenos Airean patriots a large 
supply of munitions of war. The Supreme Director, 
Pueyrreddn, certainly seemed grateful for the as- 
sistance of Halsey and Devereux in this matter, if we 
may judge from the following letter of his to Presi- 
dent Madison, dated January 31st, 18 17 : — 

[7o] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Most Excellent Sir : 

This Government, having been more active 
than ever in the present struggle, to bring to 
completion the happy independence which the 
people have sworn and proclaimed, has endeavored 
to take every measure to forestall risks and to 
reckon with results, and to place the seal on the 
honorable character which we now possess. But, 
in spite of such worthy endeavors, sufficient im- 
pulse has not been given to the cause to drive 
away the enemy, making him feel the weakness 
of his enterprise, because of the lack of sufficient 
funds, has at times paralyzed hostile measures to 
have full play in other endeavors. In such a hard 
struggle Providence sent me aid through Mr. 
John Devereux, to whom I was invited through 
the Consul of those States, Mr. Thomas Lloyd 
Halsey, in the form of two million pesos, to be 
lent to this Government under certain conditions, 
which I have not hesitated in accepting because 
of the need which forced me to do so, as well as 
by the nature of the contract ; it has been ap- 
proved by the competent authorities, and the 
articles which make it binding, and which are 
added thereto, have been approved in an agree- 
ment with the aforesaid Consul. It only remains 
for this Government to give it all the protection 
necessary for its fulfillment, and that is what these 
people request of Your Excellency through me. 
Persuaded as they are that the liberty which these 
states enjoy is the same which yours proclaim, 
they have such confidence in the guarantee of 
your Government for this loan that they have 
already given themselves over to the sweet hopes 

[71] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

of friendly mutual relations, as between brothers, 
and they offer the most sincere cordiality from 
now on, and reciprocal union on behalf of the 
pure cause they defend. 

May God guard Your Excellency many years. 

Now Halsey had evidently not heard of Talley- 
rand's maxim about avoiding the use of too much 
zeal ; for he went too far in this case ; of course the 
United States could not guarantee any such loan, 
whatever Halsey and Devereux might have done in 
their private capacity. But Halsey was doubtless 
encouraged in his endeavors by the following letter 
from Ignacio Alvarez to him, dated May I oth, 1 8 1 5 : — 

On the 6th instant I took possession of this 
Government to which the election of this worthy 
City has destined me in the quality of a substitute ; 
the administration of the State has placed under 
the direction of other persons, to be put an end to 
the calamities which the former Government 
occasioned, although it has not altered in the 
least the consideration of the estimation and value 
which the country dispenses to persons who are 
invested with a public character from foreign 
powers. There is further a particular motive from 
distinguishing you from the source of your repre- 
sentation. If from the obstacles that have placed 
us at a distance, and the lack of communication, 
we have not maintained closer relations with the 
United States of the North, we have not been 
without knowing that reciprocal interest, and the 
analogy of sentiments invite us to unite our fate 

[72] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

with the virtuous sons of Washington. In offering 
myself to you with this new purpose, and with all 
the considerations of appreciation which you de- 
serve, I think it my duty to beg you to use all the 
influence you have with your Government, so that 
when circumstances permit we may be able to 
receive the assistance that lies in their power, 
particularly with regard to articles of war, being 
assured that this Capital will make full payment 
for them, and that they will advise me when 
opportunity offers to direct our communications. 

This specific request for "assistance with regard to 
articles of war" later broadened into the mission of 
Manuel Hermenegildo de Aguirre to the United 
States of America. Three months after Halsey had 
ceased to be Consul, on April 28th, 18 17, Pueyrreddn, 
who must have been sincerely friendly towards the 
United States to have written such a letter as the 
foregoing, addressed President Monroe in the follow- 
ing communication, whose language would indicate 
that even the disavowal of the loan had not shaken 
his faith in the good-will and brotherhood of the 
United States of America. He states that — 

When the interests of sound policy are in 
accord with the principles of justice, nothing is 
more easy or more pleasing than the maintenance 
of harmony and good understanding between 
Powers which are connected by close relations. 
This seems to be exactly the case in which the 
United States and these Provinces stand with 
respect to each other ; a flattering situation, which 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

gives the signal of our success, and forms our best 
apology. It is on this occasion that Citizen Don 
Manuel Hermenegildo de Aguirre, Commissary 
General of War, is deputed toward you in the 
character of Agent of this Government. If his 
recommendable qualities are the best pledge of 
the faithful discharge of his commission and of its 
favorable issue, the upright and generous senti- 
ments of Your Excellency are not less auspicious 
to it. The concurrence of these circumstances 
induces me to hope for the most favorable results. 
I trust, therefore, that Your Excellency will be 
pleased to grant to the said citizen Aguirre all the 
protection and consideration required by his 
diplomatic rank and the present state of our re- 
lations. This will be a new tie, by which the 
the United States of the North will more effectu- 
ally secure the gratitude and affections of the Free 
Provinces of the South. 

Aguirre left Buenos Aires on May 20th, 18 17; on 
April 19th he had made a contract with George 
Green, a United States merchant residing in that city, 
to bring some merchant vessels from the United 
States for the use of the patriot forces then devoting 
their energies toward obtaining the independence of 
the west coast of South America. Forty-two years 
before, on April 19th, 1775, the embattled farmers at 
Lexington and Concord had fired the shot heard 
around the world ; and now their countrymen were to 
aid their brothers under the . Southern Cross in their 
struggle for freedom. 

[74] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Aguirre possessed yet another credential — nothing 
less than a letter from Jose de San Martin, General- 
in-Chief of the Army of the Andes, to President James 
Monroe. It is a simple, dignified letter that fitly 
alludes to the similarity of the movement for freedom 
in both Americas ; it is the letter of one of the greatest 
men that has ever inspired the world with that con- 
sistently courageous self-denial without which true 
patriotism can never exist, or without which great 
nations cannot be founded. It was written in April, 
1 8 1 7, and deserves to be quoted in full : — 

Most Excellent Sir : 

Charged by the Supreme Director of the Prov- 
inces of South America with the command of the 
army of the Andes, Heaven crowned my forces 
with a victory on the 1 2th of February over the 
oppressors of the beautiful kingdom of Chile. 
The sacred rights of nature being restored to the 
inhabitants of the country by the influence of the 
national arms and the efficacious impulse of my 
Government, fortune has opened a favorable field 
to new enterprises, which secure the power of 
liberty and the ruin of the enemies of America. 
Towards securing the consolidation of this object, 
the Supreme Director of the Government of Chile 
has considered, as a principal instrument, the 
armament in these States of a squadron destined 
to the Pacific Ocean, which, united to the forces 
that are preparing in the River La Plata, may 
cooperate in sustaining the ulterior military 
operations of the army under my command in 

[75] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

South America ; and, convinced of the advantages 
which our political situation promises, I have 
crossed the Andes in order to concert in that 
capital, among other things, the guaranty of my 
Government, and, in compliance with the stipu- 
lations between the Supreme Director of Chile and 
its intimate ally, to carry into effect the plan which 
has been confided to Don Manuel Aguirre. Your 
Excellency, who enjoys the honor of presiding 
over a free people, who contended and shed their 
blood in a similar cause to that in which the 
inhabitants of South America are now engaged, 
will, I hope, deign to extend to the above named 
person such protection as is compatible with the 
actual relations of your Government; and I have 
the high satisfaction of assuring your Excellency 
that the arms of the country under my orders will 
not fail to give consistency and respect to the 
promises of both Governments. 

I am happy in having this agreeable occasion 
to pay tribute to your Excellency of the homage 
and profound respect with which I have the honor 
to be Your Excellency's most humble servant, 

Jose de San Martin. 

The credential Aguirre possessed from the Govern- 
ment of the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata 
to James Monroe, Secretary of State of the United 
States of America, is also quoted below in full : — 

It cannot be forgotten that through this heroic 
revolution the people of this Union have long 
since directed their gaze toward that great Re- 
public which exists in the North of America. 

[76] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Since they obtained their glorious liberty, the 
United States have been like a luminous constel- 
lation which indicates the career traced by Provi- 
dence for the other people of this part of the 
globe. 

Be it pleased, therefore, to receive from the 
voice of this Government its sincere sentiments on 
the present occasion and transmit them to his 
Excellency the President of the United States, so 
that that worthy magistrate of the first free nation 
of America may direct his attention to the state in 
which we now are, and may be pleased to accept 
the congratulations of this Government, because 
of the close relations which exist between the 
people who are charged therewith and ourselves, 
especially since we no longer belong to Spain, but 
are independent. 

Indeed, this is the precious moment to advance 
the commercial relations which have already begun, 
with the advantages which two Governments alike 
in their nature should promise each other ; a con- 
sideration whereby you will greatly oblige the 
Government of this country if you will lay it before 
the President, assuring him of our constant incli- 
nation toward everything that may lead to the 
prosperity of the United States. 

God guard you many years. 

Miguel Irigoyen, 

Fancisco Antonio de Escalada, 

Manuel Obligado. 

Buenos Aires, July 19th, 1816. 

On December 4th, 18 17, Caesar A. Rodney, John 
Graham, and Theodoric Bland, accompanied by 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Henry M. Brackenridge, as Secretary, sailed in the 
United States frigate "Congress" from Hampton 
Roads, Virginia, and arrived at Buenos Aires on 
February 28th, 18 18, to accomplish the mission of 
observation entrusted to them by President Monroe. 
By October, 18 18, the commission had returned to 
the United States. Graham was afterward United 
States Minister to Brazil ; he was appointed to that 
post on January 6th, 18 19, and died at Rio de Janeiro, 
while still holding that office, on July 31st, 1820. On 
January 23rd, 1823, Rodney was confirmed as United 
States Minister to Buenos Aires, and was the first to 
hold that office. He left Philadelphia on June 8th, 
1823, on the United States frigate "Congress," and 
arrived there on November 16th, just before the 
Monroe Doctrine was proclaimed (December 2nd, 
1823). On June 10th, 1824, he died at Buenos 
Aires, and the next issues of the Buenos Aires 
papers appeared in black. Rivadavia's oration over 
his grave is a masterpiece of genuine Pan-American 
feeling. 

On the 15 th of February, 18 18, Rivadavia wrote to 
Gregorio Tagle, who had only just before concluded 
the Tagle-Irissari treaty with Chile : "I was presented 
to Lafayette by the Ambassador of the United States, 
Mr. Gallatin. He lent me his active cooperation to 
prevent the supposed mediation [of European powers 
in the affairs of Latin America]. He has stated to 
the Chiefs of the Diplomatic Body that his Govern- 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

ment cannot fail to recognize South American inde- 
pendence in the course of this year." 

As Bland's report on this mission to Buenos Aires 
is not very well known, and is noteworthy as showing 
the friendly relations then existing between Argentina 
and the United States, the following extract there- 
from may prove of interest : — 

Report of Theodoric Bland, Esq., 
on South America. 

Buenos Aires. 

Baltimore, 2nd November, 1818. 
Sir: 

The fair prospects which seemed to be open- 
ing upon some portions of the people of South 
America ; the lively sympathy for their cause, felt 
by citizens of the United States ; and the deep 
interest of our country in the fate of those prov- 
inces, where colonial rule, or independent freedom, 
seems to have been put to issue, and contested 
with all the energy which such a stake never fails 
to excite, justly attracted the most serious at- 
tention of the government. In whatever dis- 
position of mind the South American contest, and 
its scenes were contemplated ; whether with feel- 
ings of benevolence, and with the best wishes, 
or with regret, and under a sense of injury, the 
first thought, that which appeared most naturally 
to arise in the mind of every one, was the want 
of information as to the actually existing state of 
things. A new people were evidently making 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

every possible effort against their transatlantic 
masters, and preparing themselves to claim a 
recognition in the society of the nations of the 
earth. In this struggle, each contending party 
endeavoring to strike his antagonist beyond the 
immediate area of the conflict, our commercial 
rights had frequently received a blow, and our 
municipal regulations were sometimes violated. 
New and fertile regions, rich and extensive chan- 
nels of commerce were apparently about to be 
opened to the skill and enterprise of the people of 
the United States ; as to all which, their feelings 
and their interests seemed to require to be grati- 
fied with further information. Under these con- 
siderations it became the earnest wish, and was 
deemed the right and duty of our Government to 
explain the views it had, in some of its measures; 
by timely representations and remonstrances, to 
prevent the further injury which our commercial 
and other rights were likely to sustain ; and to 
procure correct intelligence as to the existing 
state of affairs in those parts of our Continent, 
where the revolutionary movement had attracted 
the most attention and excited the strongest 
interest. 

For this purpose, three persons, of whom I had 
the honor to be one, were selected and sent in a 
public ship to South America — who being, among 
other things, directed that, "if, while in Buenos 
Aires, they should find it expedient or useful, 
with reference to the public service, that one or 
more of them should proceed overland to Chile, 
they were authorized to act accordingly." They 
did, therefore, at Buenos Aires take into consider- 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

ation the expediency and utility of going to Chile, 
and did there determine, that, under the existing 
circumstances, it would be expedient and useful 
for one or more of them to go to that country. 
In consequence of which I crossed the Andes, 
and having returned, it now becomes my duty to 
communicate a statement of such facts, circum- 
stances and documents as I have been able to 
collect, and which presented themselves as most 
likely to be of importance, or in any manner useful 
to the nation. 

We sailed in the United States frigate, the 
"Congress," from Hampton Roads on the 4th of 
December, 18 17, and touched, as directed, at Rio 
de Janeiro, where we delivered the despatches 
committed to our charge to Mr. Sumpter, the 
Minister of the United States resident there. 
After a stay of a few days, we proceeded thence 
direct for the River Plate, which we ascended in 
the "Congress" as far as Montevideo. Mr. Graham 
and myself visited that city and found it, with the 
country immediately around, to the extent of 
about three miles, in the actual possession of a 
Portuguese army, under the command of General 
Lacor. We were treated by the General with 
politeness, and an offer was made by him of per- 
mission to procure there, every facility we might 
want to convey us thence to Buenos Aires, and 
also of leave to obtain from the ship every re- 
freshment and accommodation we might want. 
Finding that it would be impossible for the "Con- 
gress" to proceed much further up the river, 
owing to there not being a sufficient depth of 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

water for her over a bar between Montevideo and 
Buenos Aires, which traverses the river entirely, 
and on which it is only eighteen feet deep, we 
took passage thence in a small vessel and landed 
at Buenos Aires on the 28th day of February last 
[1818]. 

After consulting and advising together, as to 
the extent, object, and manner of executing our 
instructions, it seemed to us, that no time should 
be lost in presenting ourselves to the Government, 
or chief constituted authorities of the place ; and, 
in making known to them all these subjects, which 
we were directed to present to their view. In 
arranging those points, it was deemed most proper, 
in the first place, to express the friendly and 
neutral disposition of our Government, and to 
place in a fair and amicable point of view those 
measures which it had been supposed were likely 
to be interesting, or materially to effect the feel- 
ings, or the claims of the people of the River 
Plate ; and then to present the injuries many of the 
citizens of the United States had sustained, and 
the infractions of their laws, which had been com- 
mitted by armed vessels, assuming the name and 
character of patriots, belonging to the independent 
governments of South America, and to seek the 
information which our Government had directed 
us to obtain ; and which it had been deemed most 
advisable to procure from the public functionaries 
themselves as far as practicable. 

Accordingly, after ascertaining the names and 
style of the principal personages in authority, we 
called on his honor El Senor Don Gregorio Tagle, 
the Secretary of State ; and having made known 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

to him who we were, and expressed our wish to 
have an interview with the chief magistrate of the 
country, a day and hour was appointed for the 
purpose, when we called, and were, accordingly, 
introduced by the Secretary of State to His Ex- 
cellency, El Senor Don Juan Martin de Pueyrre- 
ddn, the Supreme Director of the United Provinces 
of South America. After the interchange of some 
complimentary expressions of politeness, good 
wishes, and friendly dispositions, we made known 
to the director, in general terms, the character of 
special agents, in which we had been sent by our 
Government to communicate with him ; and that 
our communications might be either with himself 
or with his secretary. The director replied, that 
they would be received in a spirit of brotherly 
friendship, and in that form and through either of 
those channels which we should deem most con- 
venient. 

In a short time after our introduction to the 
director, and in about a week after our arrival, we 
waited on the Secretary of State, as being the 
most formal, and respectful, mode of making our 
communications to this new and provisional revo- 
lutionary government. We stated to the Secre- 
tary, that our Government had not viewed the 
struggle now pending between the provinces of 
South America and Spain, merely as a rebellion of 
colonists ; but as a civil war, in which each party 
was entitled to equal rights and equal respect; 
and that the United States had, therefore, assumed 
and would preserve the most impartial, and the 
strictest good faith, a neutral position ; and in the 
preservation of this neutrality, according to the 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

established rules of the law of nations, no rights, 
privileges, or advantages would be granted by our 
Government to one of the contending parties 
which would not, in like manner, be extended to 
the other. The Secretary expressed his appro- 
bation of this course ; but in an interview subse- 
quent to the first, when the neutral position of the 
United States was again spoken of, he intimated 
a hope that the United States might be induced 
to depart from its rigid neutrality in favor of his 
Government — to which we replied, that as to 
what our Government might be induced to do, or 
what would be its future policy toward the patriots 
of South America we could not, nor were we 
authorized to say anything. 

[Here follows a long report of verbal inquiries 
addressed by the Commissioners to the Secretary 
on the subject of Amelia Island.] 

To which the Secretary replied, that the Gov- 
ernment of Buenos Aires had not before been 
informed, or heard of the abuses committed by 
those who had taken possession of Amelia Island 
and Galveston ; that it had no connection whatever 
with those who had exercised any authority at 
either of those places, and that the removal of 
those establishments could not fail to be attended 
with good consequences to the patriot cause, by 
preventing any improper imputation being cast on 
it ; and therefore his Government could, certainly, 
only see in that measure of the United States the 
manifestations towards it of the most friendly dis- 
position. We stated to the Secretary, that it had 
been understood, that many unprincipled and 
abandoned persons, who had obtained commis- 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

sions as privateers from the independent patriot 
Government, had committed great depredations 
on our commerce, and had, evidently, got such 
commissions, not so much from any regard to the 
cause of independence and freedom, as with a view- 
to plunder ; and that we entertained a hope, that 
there would be a due degree of circumspection 
exercised by that Government in granting com- 
missions which, in their nature, were so open to 
abuse. 

The Secretary replied, that there had hitherto 
been no formal complaint made against any of 
the cruisers of Buenos Aires ; and that if any cause 
of complaint should exist, his Government would 
not hesitate to afford proper redress, on a pre- 
sentation and proof of the injury; that the Govern- 
ment of Buenos Aires had taken every possible 
precaution in its power, in such cases, that it had 
established and promulgated a set of rules and 
regulations for the government of its private 
armed vessels, a copy of which should be furnished 
us ; and that it had, in all cases, as far as possible, 
enjoined and enforced a strict observance of those 
regulations and the law of nations. 

We stated to the Secretary, that a considerable 
portion of the people of the United States had 
manifested a very favorable disposition towards 
the patriot cause in South America; and the 
Government, also, had every disposition to treat 
the patriot authorities with the justice, dignity and 
favor which they merited, that although our 
Government had, for the present, determined on 
adhering to a strict and impartial neutrality 
between the contending parties, it might yet deem 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

it politic and just hereafter to adopt other meas- 
ures; and therefore, with a view to regulate its 
conduct and policy with perfect good faith and 
candour, as well as with regard to its neutrality, 
as with regard to any other measures it might 
deem advisable to take, it had charged us, as 
special agents, to seek and endeavor to obtain, in 
this country, such information as to the actual 
state of things, as would enable it to act with 
correctness, precision, and understandingly in 

whatever course it may hereafter pursue 

We assured the Secretary, that our Government 
sought this information from an experience of the 
want of it, and in the spirit of the most perfect 
amity ; that until the commencement of the present 
revolutionary movements in that country, it had 
been so comparatively locked up from the eye, 
observation and intercourse of every foreign nation, 
that the real state of things in it had been but very 
imperfectly, and, in some respects, were wholly 
unknown ; that the friendship so openly and de- 
decidedly expressed by a considerable portion of 
the people of the United States would furnish 
conclusive proof of the spirit of good-will in which 
this information was sought; and, in itself, was a 
guarantee that their Government would, under 
no circumstances, use the communications that 
might be made for improper or unfriendly 
purposes towards the people of that country. 
But, if that Government should think proper to 
note any communications it should make, as 
private and confidendial, we pledged ourselves 
that our Government would never suffer it to go 
to the public; if, indeed, there could be wanting 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

any other more solemn and decided manifestation 
of respect, on its part, than the very act itself of 
our having been sent in a public ship of war to 
have this intercourse with them. The Secretary, 
in reply, said that his government had the greatest 
confidence in the friendly dispositions of that of 
the United States ; and that the people of the two 
countries were friends toward each other as 
brothers ; felt as such, and would act toward each 
other as brothers ; that the information asked for 
would certainly be granted ; that, as re- 
garded foreign nations, they had, hitherto, had no 
official communication with any of them ; and that 
their relations with all, except Spain, were those 
of mere peace, such as were obvious to the world, 
without any treaty or stipulation whatever 

But this chapter cannot be closed without quoting 
an important dispatch written in this same year, 1 8 1 7, 
to James Monroe, President of the United States of 
America, by one of the greatest of South Americans, — 
Bernardo O'Higgins, which reads as follows: — 

Santiago de Chile, 

April 1st, 18 17. 
Most Excellent Sir : 

The beautiful kingdom of Chile having been 
re-established on the 1 2th day of February last by 
the army of the United Provinces of Rio de la 
Plata, under the command of the brave General 
Don Jose de San Martin, and the supreme 
direction of the state being conferred on me by 
choice of the people, it becomes my duty to 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

announce to the world the new asylum which 
these countries offer to the industry and friend- 
ship of the citizens of all nations of the globe. 

The inhabitants of Chile, having thus reassumed 
their natural rights, will not hereafter submit to 
be despoiled of their just prerogatives, nor tolerate 
the sordid and pernicious policy of the Spanish 
cabinet. In its numerous population, and the 
riches of its soil, Chile presents the basis of a solid 
and durable power, to which the independence of 
this precious portion of the New World will give 
the fullest security. The knowledge and resources 
of the neighboring nation of Peru, which has re- 
solved to support our emancipation, encourage 
the hope of the future prosperity of these regions, 
and of the establishment, on liberal grounds, of a 
commercial and political intercourse with all 
nations. If the cause of humanity interests the 
feelings of Your Excellency, and the identity of 
the principles of our present contest with those 
which formerly prompted the United States to 
assert independence disposes your Government 
and people favorable towards our cause, Your 
Excellency will always find me most earnestly 
desirous of promoting the commercial and friendly 
relations of the two countries, and of removing 
every obstacle to the establishment of most perfect 
harmony and good understanding. 

God guard you many years. 

Bernardo O'Higgins. 



[88] 



CHAPTER II. 

Citizens of the United States of America who 
Took Part in the Latin- American War 
of Independence, i 8 10-1826 

IT should always be remembered, in discussing the 
United States of America who took part in the 
Latin-American Wars of Independence, that the 
United States of America was at that time in a very- 
different position from England or France, which 
countries furnished so many more volunteers to that 
noble cause. During three years of the period in 
question the United States was herself at war. Yet 
during this time the brave Baltimorean, Alexander 
Macaulay, laid down his life for the freedom of 
Colombia at Popayan. During all this period the 
United States was itself expanding and opening up 
vast tracts of land for cultivation and settlement. Yet 
more vessels flying the Stars and Stripes entered the 
harbor of Buenos Aires in 18 10 than in 19 10; there 
were more American than English ships in the harbor 
of Buenos Aires in 1824, and far more on the west 
coast of South America in 18 13 than in 191 3. 

Let us now briefly discuss the careers of a few 
typical citizens of the United States of America who 
struggled for the freedom of their brothers in the 
South. 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

First and foremost comes Charles Whiting Wooster, 
Rear- Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean 
navy. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, 
in 1785, and died in California in 1848. His sister 
Julia married David C. De Forest, one of the first 
American merchants in Buenos Aires ; she ac- 
companied him thither in 18 12, and lived there for 
five years, when they returned to New London. He 
was the grandson of General David Wooster, who 
was one of the eight brigadier-generals first named by 
the United States in 1776. In 18 12 he commanded 
the United States privateer "Saratoga," which cap- 
tured the English letter of marque "Rachel" off La 
Guaira, Venezuela. The "Saratoga" took twenty- 
two British vessels in her entire career, from 1812 to 
181 5, — a fact which may explain Cochrane's dislike 
of Wooster and the sneering allusion to him in Julian 
Corbett's "Life of Cochrane." In 18 17 he arrived in 
Valparaiso with his armed brig "Columbus," which 
he had equipped at his own expense and which the 
Chilean Government bought from him, and then 
placed it under his command, giving him the rank of 
captain, the ship being renamed the "Araucano." 
At 9 A.M. on October 19th, 1818, Wooster left Val- 
paraiso in command of the "Lautaro," forty-six guns, 
and while in command of her he was the first to 
board the Spanish man-of-war "Maria Isabel," in the 
Talcuahuano harbor on October 28th, 18 18, just a 
month before Admiral Cochrane arrived in Chile. 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

He was out of the Chilean navy from January 14th, 
1 8 19, until 1822, when he reentered that service, 
and was again placed in command of the "Lautaro." 
As captain of that vessel he took part in an expedition 
that Colonel Beauchef sent to recover the province 
of Valdiva. It will be remembered that Beauchef 
was in New York City when he was engaged for the 
patriot armies in October, 18 16. Wooster was still 
in command of the "Lautaro" in January, 1823, and 
took part in both campaigns for the island of Chiloe, 
in the last of which he commanded the "Achilles." 
A mutiny occurred on the " Lautaro " a short while be- 
fore this, on October 25th, 1822, and Wooster showed 
great coolness on this occasion, taking the ship to 
Valparaiso. From the 15th of October, 1825, to 
1829 he was in command of the Chilean navy, in 
which latter year he was made rear-admiral, and re- 
tired from the service. Another of his exploits was 
the conveying of General Santa Cruz to Bolivia, of 
which country he had been made president, while 
Bolivian minister to Chile. In his "Biographias de 
Hombres Notables de Chile," published in Santiago 
de Chile in 1870, Jose Bernardo Suarez states that 
"as a seaman, Rear- Admiral Wooster can only be 
compared to Lord Cochrane among the foreigners 
who commanded our ships. His ships, his crews, and 
their equipment, were the best that our navy had. 
He was rigid and severe in discipline." 

At least two citizens of the United States of 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

America laid down their lives for Chile during her 
war for independence. Lieutenant Charles Eldridge, 
who had formerly served in the United States navy, 
and who had arrived at Buenos Aires from Baltimore 
on the ship "Clifton" on the 9th of February, 18 17, 
was killed in the attack by General Las Heras at 
Talcuahuano on December 6th, 18 17. Another lieu- 
tenant in the Chilean navy was Freeman Oxley, who 
was killed while serving on the Chilean man-of-war 
"Galvarino" by fire from the battery of San Carlos in 
the island of Chiloe on January nth, 1826. A little 
over two years before this, in the engagement between 
the Chilean ship "Montezuma" and the royalist 
Spanish ship from Chileo, the "General Quintanilla," 
on December 11th, 1823, his bravery had received 
especial commendation ; and the Chilean historian, 
Barros Arana, states that at the time of his death he 
was beginning a brilliant career for himself in the 
Chilean navy by his intrepidity at all costs. 

Danial Carson, who had formerly been a lieutenant 
in the United States navy, and who came out with 
Eldridge on the "Clifton," was wounded at the attack 
on Talcuahuano, at the time when Eldridge was 
killed. He afterward commanded a company of 
marines in Lord Cochrane' s descent on Guayaquil, 
which occurred on November 25 th, 18 19. Lieutenant 
Manning was also wounded in the same attack on 
Talcuahuano, and Ezekiel Jewett and William Ken- 
nedy also served in the Chilean navy. The brothers 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Paul and William Delano, who came from Massa- 
chusetts, and whose descendants have played such a 
noteworthy and prominent part in the history of Chile, 
both served in the Chilean squadron during the war 
of independence. They seemed to have both entered 
it in July, 1819, and William Delano was one of the 
three United States officers who accompanied General 
San Martin to Peru from Chile in August, 1820, 
commanding the transports in that expedition. He 
also took a prominent part in the Peruvian campaign 
of that year and the next. On July 22nd, 18 13, Cap- 
tain Henry Ross, a United States engineer, was de- 
clared to be "benemerito de la Patria" by the Chilean 
Government. 

We have alluded in a previous chapter to Samuel 
B. Johnston, who arrived at Valparaiso on November 
2 1st, 181 1, after a voyage of one hundred and twenty- 
two days from New York in the "Galloway" with the 
printing-press from the United States. Johnston's 
Chilean experiences are detailed in a fascinatingly 
adventurous style in a book published by R. I. Curtis 
at Erie, Pa., in 18 16, which is probably the first book 
published in the United States of America relating 
to Chile. It is entitled "Letters Written During a 
Residence of Three Years in Chile : containing an 
account of the most remarkable events in the Revo- 
lutionary struggles in that Province, with an interesting 
account of the loss of a Chilean ship, and brig-of-war 
by mutiny, and the consequent imprisonment and 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

suffering of several citizens of the United States, for 
six months, in the dungeons of Callao ; by Samuel B. 
Johnston, formerly in the service of the Patriots." As 
it almost wholly relates to Johnston's services in the 
Chilean navy, as a result of which not merely was 
Chilean citizenship conferred on him, but also the 
following letter was addressed to Captain Edward 
Barnewall, who formerly commanded the brig in 
question, by the Supreme Chilean Junta, it will be 
considered in this chapter. It is noteworthy as 
showing the prominent part played by citizens of 
the United States of America in the earliest days 
of the Chilean War of Independence. The letter in 
question, which is dated December 3rd, 1813, reads 
as follows : — 

We have received your official communication 
relative to the loss of the ship "Pearl" and the 
brig "Colt." We are fully convinced that this 
took place in consequence of a treasonable con- 
spiracy, and are also apprized of the hardships you 
have endured in captivity. The country is con- 
vinced of your merit and its representatives are 
deliberating in what manner to reward and dis- 
tinguish those who have labored with fidelity in its 
cause. 

May God preserve you many years. 

Jose Miguel Infante, 
Agustin de Eyzaguirre, 
Jose Ignacio Cienfuegos. 

Talca, December 3, 1813. 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

It appears from this book that in April, 1 8 1 3, the 
Chilean Government purchased the United States 
armed brig "Colt," which mounted eight long twelve- 
inch guns, ten nine-pound cannonades, two long six- 
inch guns and two swivels. She had a crew of ninety 
men, sixteen of whom were citizens of the United 
States of America. Their names and ranks were : 
William Barnet, sailing master; Samuel Dusenbury, 
midshipman ; Timothy Chase, master's mate, of the 
"Pearl"; Henry Heacock, master's mate; John S. 
Waters, carpenter; Peter N. Hanson, gunner; John 
Heck, interpreter ; Henry Smith, seaman ; William 
McKoy, seaman ; Sevemo Denton, seaman ; James 
Dawmas, seaman ; Moses Pierce, seaman ; Le Roy 
Laws, seaman ; Willis Forbes, seaman ; Jeremiah 
Green, seaman ; Frederick Rasmonson, seaman. 

Her former chief officer, who was placed in com- 
mand of her, was also a citizen of the United States 
of America, named Edward Barnewall. Johnston 
himself was commissioned as "Teniente de Fragata," 
first lieutenant in the Chilean navy. The "Colt" was 
ready for sea on April 26th, but was treacherously 
captured by Spaniards from Peru, which was still held 
by Spain, on May 2nd, and her crew were held in cap- 
tivity until their release by a decree of the Viceroy, 
Pezuela, of September 13th, 18 13. On November 
6th, 1813, they returned to Valparaiso, and Johnston 
reached Santiago on December 8th, 1813. He left 
Chile in the "Essex Junior" on April 27th, 18 14, 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

having had Chilean citizenship conferred on him in 
the previous month. As we have previously seen, the 
"Colt" was back in Valparaiso when Admiral Porter 
arrived there on March 15th, 18 13. 

In Argentina we find Dr. Franklin Rawson, of 
Essex County, Massachusetts, rendering important 
services in the war of independence. He was the 
father of the distinguished Dr. Guillermo Rawson, 
who was in the cabinet of Argentina under President 
Mitre, and for whom the town of Rawson in the 
Patagonian territory of the Chubut is named. John 
Anthony King was born in New York City in 1803. 
He arrived at Buenos Aires in 1 8 1 7 from Baltimore, 
probably on a vessel sent out thence by the Argentine 
commissioner, Aguirre. He was commissioned a flag- 
bearer (bandero) by the Supreme Director, Pueyrre- 
ddn in 1818, and was afterwards promoted to be an 
adjutant and colonel in the Argentine army. He 
took part in the Peruvian and other campaigns, and 
was also captain in the service of Upper Peru of 
Bolivia. He fascinating book, "Twenty-four Years 
in Argentina," is recommended to all who desire a 
vivid narrative of an interesting period in that great 
country's history. Although John Halstead Coe, of 
Newark, New Jersey (1805- 1864), is best known for 
his having been appointed by General Rivera com- 
mander-in-chief of the Uruguayan navy in 1 841, he 
had served since 1826 in the Argentine navy, dis- 
tinguishing himself particularly therein in 1827, under 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

that gallant Irishman, William Brown. Coe married, 
on July 7th, 1828, at Trinidad, the daughter of the 
Argentine general, Balcarce, and had large estates in 
the province of Entre Rios. A dispatch from the 
United States Consul General, John Murray Forbes, 
to Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, of Decem- 
ber 4th, 1820, mentions a Commodore Taylor, of Bal- 
timore, in the Buenos Aires service. Coe was sixth 
in descent from the Puritan immigrant, Robert Coe. 

We have already seen that thirty citizens of the 
United States of America accompanied Miranda on 
his expedition to Venezuela in 1806. In the year 
1818 John Daniel Daniels, of Baltimore (1786- 1865), 
became a captain in the Colombian navy, Colombia 
then including what are now the sister republics of 
Venezuela and Ecuador. In 1822 Daniels, who was 
then acting as the agent for the Colombian Govern- 
ment in the United States of America, purchased the 
beautiful corvette "Hercules," built by Mr. Eckford, 
of New York City, in the fall of 1822. He embarked 
from that place for La Guaira on October 2nd, 1822. 
The "Hercules" afterward took the name of "Boli- 
var"; Sefiora An tonia Bolivar, sister of the Liberator, 
Simon Bolivar, came out on her on this voyage, 
accompanied by her daughter Josephine and son 
Paul. The vessel carried twenty-five thirty-two- 
pounders, such as were then usually carried by the 
United States corvettes, besides two brass twenty-four- 
pound cannon on her forecastle. Her crew consisted 

[97] 
8 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

of two hundred and twenty splendid seamen, princi- 
pally of the crew from the United States frigate 
"Macedonian," which had been for the preceding 
three years off the west coast of South America, having 
arrived at Valparaiso from Boston on January 28th, 
1 8 19. An incident that Henry Hill tells of her en- 
counter with Lord Cochrane at Callao in 1820 is 
worth repeating : — 

When Lord Cochrane was blockading Callao 
with three ships of war, it was reported at Val- 
paraiso that he had said he was able to enforce the 
blockade, and would not allow the "Macedonian" 
or any ship-of-war or merchant ship to enter. 
Captain Downes, U. S. N., commanding the 
"Macedonian," had previously announced his in- 
tention to sail for Callao on a certain day, and when 
these reports came to him he with difficulty re- 
strained himself, merely remarking that he should 
leave at the appointed time and should be happy 
to take letters, etc. But he said to me, "I will tell 
you my plan. If Cochrane attempts to stop me I 
shall pour a broadside into him, aiming all my 
guns to one point, hoping to sink him at once. 
If I succeed in this, I can easily dispose of the 
other two ships." He sailed on the day set; and 
on approaching Lord Cochrane's ship the "Mace- 
donian" passed her stern, the two commanders 
standing on their respective quarter-decks, speak- 
ing-trumpets in hand, and Lord Cochrane shouted 
"Hope Captain Downes is well." "Thank you; 
left Lady Cochrane well, eight days ago." The 
"Macedonian" then ran under the lee of the 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

other ship, backed her topsails, and Captain 
Downes sent his first lieutenant to Lord Coch- 
rane, with his compliments. He then filled away 
and entered the harbor. When the "Mace- 
donian" had anchored, Lord Cochrane sent Cap- 
tain Forster, his flag-captain, who was his brother- 
in-law, with his respects to Captain Downes. Cap- 
tain Forster was somewhat surprised to find that 
the cabins had been removed and a gun placed 
wherever there was room for one, and that the 
men were all at quarters. 

To return to Daniels. In 1845 Venezuela passed 
a law granting him a pension for life. Lieutenant 
Christie, formerly of the United States navy, served 
under him on the "Bolivar" in 1822. It must have 
been about this time that Lieutenant Hawley, of 
Baltimore, a brother of Miss Betsey Hawley of that 
city, was also serving in that navy. 

On the 26th day of January, 18 13, the young 
Alexander Macauley, whose family seem also to have 
resided in Baltimore, although he was born in New 
York City, and who had been serving for at least two 
years in the Colombian patriot army, was shot at 
Pasto, Colombia, by the Spanish forces who had 
taken him prisoner. His brilliant victory over the 
Spaniards at Popayan, on April 27th, 181 1, is still 
remembered, and is favorably commented on by 
Colombian historians. A short time thereafter he was 
ordered by the patriot general, Cabal, to go to the aid 
of President Joaquim Caicedo, who was then im- 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

prisoned in Pasto, and after several checks he was 
victorious at Juanambu and Buesaco. By the armis- 
tice of July 26th, Caicedo was freed from Pasto, and 
not long afterward Macaulay won another victory 
over the royalist forces at Calambuco, on August 
1 2th, 181 1. He had the grade of colonel in the 
Colombian army. 

William Yeates and Nathaniel Doolett served in 
the Brazilian navy about the year 1820. 



[100] 



CHAPTER III. 
The Pan-Americanism of Henry Clay 

WHEN on February 9th, 1852, Henry Clay's 
admiring friends presented him with a gold 
medal, at the sunset of his long and useful life, on the 
reverse of which were inscribed the dates by which he 
wished to be remembered, the two of the fourteen 
that had the most prominent place were "Spanish 
America, 1822"; and "Panama Instructions, 1826." 

The visitor to the capital of the United States of 
America sees hanging in one of the large corridors 
near the meeting-place of the House of Representa- 
tives a large portrait of Henry Clay, with his index 
finger pointing to South America on a large globe of 
the world. It was thus that he wished the future 
lawmakers of his country — those who would control 
its destiny — to remember him. 

This is the man to whom the distinguished Argen- 
tine author, Dr. Miguel Cane, in his Introduction to 
the 1905 edition of President Roque Saenz Pena's 
speeches, says that a statue should be erected in every 
South American capital; and that his name — the 
name of the "noble and kind-hearted Clay" — should 
be on one of the streets of Buenos Aires. 

Let us see on what actions these fellow Pan- 
Americans, six thousand miles away, base their regard 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

for the great Kentuckian who has been dead, but not 
forgotten, for sixty years. 

On January 29th, 18 16, while the South American 
wars of independence were raging, Henry Clay, who 
was then Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
the United States of America, opposed, in a long 
speech, the reduction of the taxes imposed as a 
consequence of the war of 1 8 1 2, because, among other 
reasons, the United States might have openly "to take 
part with the patriots of South America." Nearly a 
year later, on January 24th, 1817, he vigorously op- 
posed a bill intended to stop the fitting out of armed 
cruisers in the United States ports, on the ground 
that it might be disadvantageous to the South Ameri- 
cans, who were still nobly maintaining their struggle 
for freedom. On December 3rd, 18 17, the day 
before the U. S. frigate "Congress" sailed for Buenos 
Aires with Commissioners Graham, Bland and Rodney 
on board, Clay offered a motion in the House, which 
was accepted without opposition, instructing the 
committee on the President's message to inquire what 
was necessary to secure the South Americans their 
rights as belligerents. 

But it was on March 24th, 1 8 1 8, that his soundest 
and most historically Pan-American speech was de- 
livered in the House of Representatives, — when he 
besought the aid of the United States for their fellow- 
Americans, for "eighteen millions of people struggling 
to burst their chains and be free." The nature of 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

this classic oration can be judged from the following 
extract therefrom: — 

In the establishment of the independence of 
Spanish America, the United States have the 
deepest interest. I have no hesitation in asserting 
my firm belief that there is no question in the 
foreign policy of this country which has ever arisen, 
or which I can conceive as ever occurring, in the 
decision of which we had or can have so much at 
stake. This interest concerns our politics, our 
commerce, our navigation. There can not be a 
doubt that Spanish America, once independent, 
whatever may be the form of the governments es- 
tablished in its several parts, these governments 
will be animated by an American feeling and 
guided by an American policy. They will obey 
the laws of the New World, of which they will 
compose a part 

We are their great example. Of us they con- 
stantly speak as of brothers, having a similar 
origin. They adopt our principles, copy our insti- 
tutions, and in many instances employ the very 
language and sentiments of our revolutionary 
papers. 

But it is sometimes said that they are too 
ignorant and to superstitious to admit of the ex- 
istance of free government. This charge of igno- 
rance is often urged by persons themselves 
actually ignorant of the real condition of that 
people. I deny the alleged fact of ignorance; I 
deny the inference from that fact, if it were true, 
that they want capacity for free government ; and 
I refuse assent to the further conclusion, if the 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

fact were true, and the inference just, that we are 
to be indifferent to their fate. All the writers of 
the most established authority, Depons, Humboldt, 
and others, concur in assigning to the people of 
South America, great quickness, genius, and 
particular aptitude for the acquisition of the exact 
sciences, and others which they have been allowed 
to cultivate. In astronomy, geology, mineralogy, 
chemistry, botany, and so forth, they are allowed to 
make distinguished proficiency. They justly boast 
of their Abzate, Velasques and Gama, and other 
illustrious contributors to science. They have 
nine universities, and in the City of Mexico, it is 
affirmed by Humboldt, that there are more solid 
scientific establishments than in any city even in 
North America. I would refer to the message of 
the Supreme Director of La Plata [Pueyrreddn] as 
a model of composition of a State paper, chal- 
lenging the comparison with any, the most cele- 
brated, that ever issued from the pens of Jefferson 

or Madison 

We may safely trust to the daring enterprise 
of our merchants. The precious medals are in 
South America, and they will command the articles 
wanted in South America, which will purchase 
them. Our navigation will be benefitted by the 
transportation, and our country will realize the 
\f mercantile profits. Already the item in our ex- 
ports of American manufactures is respectable. 
They go chiefly to the West Indies and to South 
America, and this item is constantly augmenting. 

How clearly the allusions in this speech show 
Clay's carefully concise study of Latin-American 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

history and conditions ! Joaquin Velasques (July 
2 1 st, 1732 -March 6th, 1786) was one of the most 
distinguished of the many noted astronomers whom 
Mexico has produced. He was the author of many 
valuable works on Mexican and Californian natural 
history and mineralogy. His astronomical obser- 
vations in California, which are among the very first 
in that part of the world, where the great Lick ob- 
servatory now continues his labors, are especially 
noteworthy in view of his observations of the transit 
of Venus on June 5th, 1 769. His labors in connection 
with the topographical and geodetic survey of the 
Valley of Mexico, with whose superintendence he was 
charged in 1774, are the basis of all the excellent 
system of surveys for which our sister Republic of 
Mexico is noted. In 1783 he established in Mexico 
the first school of mines in North America. 

But Henry Clay's efforts did not stop with his 
speech. On May 20th, 1820, he introduced a motion 
into the House of Representatives to inaugurate 
diplomatic intercourse with "any of the governments 
in South America which have established and are 
maintaining their independence of Spain." It passed 
by a vote of eighty to seventy-five. On February 
6th, 1 82 1, Clay secured the passage of a resolution 
by the House of Representatives "That the House of 
Representatives participate with the people of the 
United States in the deep interest which they feel for 
the Spanish Provinces of South America, which are 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

struggling to establish their liberty and independence, 
and that it will give its constitutional support to the 
President of the United States whenever he may deem 
it expedient to recognize the sovereignty and inde- 
pendence of the said Provinces"; the first clause of 
this important legislative decision being passed by 
a vote of one hundred and thirty-four to twelve, 
and the second by a vote of eighty-seven to sixty- 
eight. 

As a result of this action, President Monroe sent a 
special message to Congress on March 8th, 1822, and 
"A resolution to establish foreign intercourse with 
the independent nations of South America" was 
passed by a vote of one hundred and fifty-nine to one. 
This measure became a law on May 4th, 1822; and 
on June 20th, 1822, Secretary of State John Quincy 
Adams proposed to President Monroe that the mis- 
sion of the United States of America to the Republic 
of Colombia should be offered to Henry Clay. He 
informed the President that "The Republic of 
Colombia, and particularly Bolivar, with whom Clay 
has been in correspondence, will be flattered by his 
appointment, or even by information that he had the 
offer of it. In relations to be established between us 
and that Republic, Mr. Clay's talents might be 
highly useful"; and the President appeared to be well 
disposed toward this suggestion. An important event 
in Pan-American history had occured the day before 
which rendered it imperative that the mission of the 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

United States to the sister Republic of Colombia, in 
whose beautiful city of Bogota the patriot Antonio 
Narifio had portraits of Franklin in his house as early 
as 1793, should be filled as soon as possible. It was 
on June 19th, 1822, that the first formal act of 
recognition of the South American Government took 
place, when Secretary Adams presented Mr. Manuel 
Torres to President Monroe as Charge d' Affaires from 
the Republic of Colombia, at the White House. Mr. 
Adams notes in his diary that "Torres was deeply 
affected by it. He spoke of the great importance to 
the Republic of Colombia of this recognition, and of 
his assurance that it would give extraordinary grati- 
fication to Bolivar." 

It was certainly gratifying to President Monroe. 
He invited Torres, who was then very ill (he died in 
Philadelphia on July 15th, 1822, in great distress) to 
be seated, sat down by him, and spoke to him with 
kindness "which moved him even to tears." He 
assured him of the great interest taken by the United 
States in the welfare and success of his country, and 
of the peculiar satisfaction with which he received him 
as its representative. 

On this very 19th of June a letter was written to 
Henry Clay by Captain Eugenio Cortes, of the Mexi- 
can navy, which shows how he was regarded in 
Mexico, enclosing one from the Emperor, Agustin de 
Iturbide, which shows how Clay was regarded in 
Latin America. 

[ 107] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

A year later we find a similar Pan-American mani- 
festitation in the following letter written to the Charg6 
d' Affaires of the United States of America from the 
House of Representatives of the Republic of Colombia, 
eager to show its appreciation of the cooperation of 
one of the most prominent men in the country, which 
the distinguished Ecuadorian, Rocafuerte, called "The 
Sister Republic of the North": — 

House of Representatives, 

Bogota, April 25, 1823. 

To Mr. C. S. Todd, Charge d' Affaires : 

The House of Representatives has received 
with the most lively sense of gratitude the valuable 
present you have had the goodness to offer. [An 
engraved portrait of Henry Clay.] It duly ap- 
preciates the generous sentiments manifested in 
the address with which you accompanied it ; senti- 
ments very worthy of the country of Washington 
and Franklin. 

The House will not fail to pay that profound 
tribute of respect which is due to the Honorable 
Henry Clay, the intrepid advocate of the cause of 
Colombia; and while it reserves to itself the 
occasion of manifesting in a more conspicuous 
manner the high esteem of which he is worthy, 
you will condescend to communicate to him the 
wishes which the House cherishes for the pros- 
perity of the United States. 

God guard you. 

[Signed] Domingo Caycedo, 
President of the Hou 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

It was at this time that engraved portraits of Henry- 
Clay, with extracts from his speeches advocating 
South American independence, were scattered broad- 
cast about the leading cities and towns of South 
America. One of these, published in Buenos Aires, 
now hangs on the walls of the United States Embassy 
in that beautiful Argentine capital. 

When Henry Clay became Secretary of State of 
the United States of America in March, 1825, a 
broader sphere of Pan-American activity was pre- 
sented to him. His zeal to promote the brotherhood 
of the American nations had now wider opportunities, 
and his responsibility was great in furthering what 
must be regarded as one of the main purposes of his 
useful and constructive life. His efforts to make the 
Congress of Panama in 1826 a success from a truly 
Pan-American point of view are typical of his sustained 
interest, which marks him as the precursor of James 
G. Blaine, Joaquim Nabuco, and many other great 
Pan-Americans whose happy influence leads us to fol- 
low and imitate them. 

As soon as the intention of Simon Bolivar — who, 
as we have seen, greatly admired Clay — to hold this 
first parliament of all the Americas, which had been 
urged as early as 18 10 by Juan Martinez de Rosas in 
Chile, by the Mexican Mier, in 18 12, and by the Junta 
of Caracas in Venezuela, and had since been pro- 
moted by San Martin and Unanue in South and Valle 
in Central America, became known to him, he bent all 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

his official and personal energies toward that end. As 
the historian Schouler says, "His zeal won President 
John Quincy Adams's favor to the plan and dissolved 
the doubts of his fellow-advisors." Not all of them 
could have doubted ; Rush, the Secretary of the 
Treasury, had been most Pan-American in his con- 
duct as United States Minister to England; and At- 
torney-General William Wirt had expressed himself as 
the friend of his fellow-Americans. Clay frequently 
consulted with Seiior Obregon, the Mexican Minister, 
as well as with Senor Salazar, the Colombian Minister, 
and the other Latin-American representatives in 
Washington, including General Carlos de Alvear from 
Buenos Aires — to whom, by the way, the first special 
passport ever issued by the State Department was 
granted. 

In 1827 the young Fernando Bolivar, nephew and 
ward of the great Liberator, who had had him edu- 
cated in the United States of America, at German- 
town, Pennsylvania, and at the University of Virginia, 
was introduced by Judge Peters to Henry Clay. 
Forty-six years later he noted in his Reminiscences 
the impressions that Clay's tall, slender and im- 
pressive figure and penetrating blue eyes made on 
him. We can be very sure that when Fernando 
returned to Bogota, where his illustrious uncle was 
then living, he told him of his meeting with his great 
Pan-American ; and, as Bolivar and Clay had long 
been in correspondence, any news direct from the 

[no] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

North must have been doubly agreeable to the great 
caraqueno. 

It is not generally known that, in his efforts to have 
as important a delegation as possible from the United 
States at that momentous gathering, he urged Albert 
Gallatin, one of the most distinguished citizens of the 
United States, who had been for thirteen years Secre- 
tary of the Treasury and was soon afterward appointed 
Minister to England, to be one of the representatives 
of the United States of America at Panama. Gal- 
latin's reply to Clay's offer of this mission, written on 
November 14th, 1825, breathes the Pan-American 
spirit : — 

No one can be more sensible than I am, both 
of the importance of laying the foundation of a 
permanent friendship between the United States 
and our sister Republics, and of the distinguished 
honor conferred on the persons selected to be the 
representatives of our glorious and happy country 
at the first Congress of the Independent Powers 
of this Hemisphere 

Secretary Clay was very careful to choose able and 
distinguished men for all of his Latin-American ap- 
pointments. Poinsette and Forbes, at Mexico and 
Buenos Aires, were among the first trained diplo- 
matists of the United States of America; William 
Henry Harrison, who was sent to Bogota, was afterward 
President of the United States of America; Condy 
Raguet, at Rio de Janeiro, came of a well-known 

[in] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Philadelphia family, and was himself prominent (a 
beautiful piece of furniture given him by Dom Pedro 
I, of Brazil, now in the possession of the family of the 
writer, shows how he was appreciated in that great 
Portuguese-speaking country) ; William Tudor, at 
Lima, was a prominent merchant and first editor of 
the North American Review, who afterward died as 
United State Charge d'Affaires at Rio de Janeiro 
in 1830; and Heman Allen, in Chile, was an able 
Vermont lawyer, whose talents were needed on the 
busy west coast. 

It is a beautiful and inspiring touch of the many- 
sided character of Henry Clay that so much of his 
public service should have been so inspired by Pan- 
Americanism. 



[112] 



CHAPTER IV 
The Pan-American Origin of the Monroe Doctrine 

SO much has been written regarding the origin of 
the Monroe Doctrine and on the supposed effects 
of the various causes contributing to its origin, toward 
its application at various times to different situations, 
that the only excuse that can be offered for discussing 
this phase of it must be to cover it from some fresh 
point of view. 

The distinguished Peruvian diplomatist and author, 
Dr. Anibal Maurtua, on page 20 of his book "La Idea 
Panamericana y la cuestidn de Arbitraje," published in 
Lima in 1901, refers to President Monroe's message 
of December 2nd, 1823, announcing the Monroe 
Doctrine, as a "Pan-American Declaration." The 
great Argentine international jurist, Carlos Calvo, 
called it "declaratory of complete American in- 
dependence," and the Peruvian author, Carlos Arenas 
y Loayza, states in his excellent monograph on the 
Monroe Doctrine, published in Lima in 1905, that 
"the Monroe Doctrine is linked with our past and 
with our present, and gives us the key of the future 
of these republics, considered in relation to the 
events of our times and the indications of the future ; 
which republics, extending over the same continent, 
form one sole body, are called on to have one and 

[113] 
9 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

the same spirit and to work in accord, in edifying 
friendship for justice and peace on earth." 

Whence comes this Pan-American nature of the 
Monroe Doctrine? It comes from its Pan-American 
origin. 

In the instructions of Secretary Monroe to Alex- 
ander Scott, agent of the United States of America to 
Venezuela, dated May 14th, 181 2, we find the fol- 
lowing statement : — 

The United States are disposed to render to the 
Government of Venezuela, in its relations with 
foreign Powers, all the good offices that they may 
be able. Instructions have been already given 
to their Ministers at Paris, St. Petersburg, and 
London, to make known to those Courts that the 
United States take an interest in the independence 
of the Spanish Provinces. 

The next link in the chain occurs in July, 1821, 
two years and six months before the famous Doctrine 
was actually issued, in a dispatch from Mr. Thomas 
L. L. Brent, American Charge d' Affaires at Madrid, 
to the Secretary of State, dated July 10th, 1821: — 

As far as I have been able to form an opinion, 
it is, that the foreign Powers during the agitation 
of the American question, have endeavored to 
prevent any arrangement between the parties. 

On the 9th of July Mr. Brent had an interview 
with Mr. Ravenga, one of the commissioners of 
Bolivar, at Mr. Ravenga' s request. 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

He calculated, he said, upon the friendship of 
the United States to promote the independence 
of the Republic of Colombia; he had a full con- 
viction that he could rely upon it. Mr. Monroe, 
when Secretary of State, had informed him that 
all the Ministers of the United States in Europe 
had instructions to advance the acknowledgment 
of their independence by foreign Powers. 

I sympathized with him in the unpleasant situ- 
ation in which he was placed, and feared that the 
sentiment in Spain was not as favorable as could 
be desired. He was perfectly justified, I said, in 
relying upon the good dispositions of the United 
States. It was their interest and their sincere 
wish that the acknowledgment of the independence 
of South America should be accelerated. The 
United States had not only been more forward 
than any other Power in publishing to the world 
their wishes with respect to her, but had ac- 
companied them with actions, which certainly 
afforded the best proof of their sincerity; and 
among them, I adverted to the message of the 
President to the Congress of the United States at 
the commencement of its last session, in which, 
alluding to the proposed negotiation between the 
late colonies and Spain, the basis of which, if 
entered upon, would be the acknowledgment of 
their independence, he says: "To promote that 
result by friendly counsels, including Spain her- 
self, has been the uniform policy of the Govern- 
ment of the United States." 

The friendship of the United States, he said, 
was very grateful to the Republic of Colombia, and 
he hoped and expected that, at the commencement 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

of the next meeting of Congress, the acknowledg- 
ment of its independence would be decided upon ; 
the moment had arrived when all the Powers of 
the world would see the propriety of it. He 
calculated that the United States would be the 
first to take this step ; hoped to see a confederacy 
of republics through North and South America, 
united by the strongest ties of friendship and inter- 
est ; and he trusted that I would use my exertions 
to promote the object he so much desired. 

I heartily concurred with him in the hope that 
all governments would resolve to adopt a measure 
so conformable to justice ; joined with him in the 
agreeable anticipations of the progress of free 
principles of government, of the intimate union 
and brilliant prospects of the states of our new 
world. I presumed, I said, it was not necessary 
to bring to his mind the high interest felt by the 
United States in their welfare — an interest in 
which I deeply participated, and desired, as much 
as he possibly could, the happiness of our Spanish- 
American brethren. What would be the deter- 
mination of the United States at the period of the 
commencement of Congress, it was impossible for 
me to foresee : whether they would consider it a 
seasonable moment for doing that which was so 
much desired, was a point I could not resolve. 

Six months later a request came from the first 
Latin-American Minister ever received by the United 
States of America, Manuel Torres, of Colombia (see 
the previous chapter, on the "Pan-Americanism of 
Henry Clay"), for the United States to announce the 
Monroe Doctrine : — 

[116] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

The glory and the satisfaction of being the first 
to recognize the independence of a new republic 
in the south of this continent belongs, in all re- 
spect and considerations, to the Government of 
the United States. The present political state of 
New Spain requires the most earnest attention of 
the Government of the United States. There has 
occurred a project, long since formed, to establish 
a monarchy in Mexico, on purpose to favor the 
views of the Holy Alliance in the New World ; 
this is a new reason which ought to determine the 
President of the United States no longer to de- 
lay a measure which will naturally establish an 
American Alliance, capable of counteracting the 
projects of the European Powers, and of protecting 
Republican institutions. My Government has en- 
tire confidence in the prudence of the President, 
in his disposition to favor the cause of liberty and 
of the independence of South America, and his 
great experience in the management of public 
business. — (17th Congress, 1st Session, No. 327 — 
Manuel Torres to the Secretary of State, Philadel- 
phia, November 30th, 1821.) 

It will be noted that this was written over two years 
before the Monroe Doctrine was actually declared on 
December 2nd, 1823. 

The following extract from an instruction from 
Secretary of State John Quincy Adams to the first 
United States Minister to Colombia, Richard C. 
Anderson, dated May 27th, 1823, six months before 
the declaration of the Monroe Doctrine, continues the 
trend of events : — 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

The Colombian Government, at various times, 
have manifested a desire that the United States 
should take some further and active part in ob- 
taining the recognition of their independence by 
the European Governments and particularly by 
Great Britain. This has been done even before it 
was solicited. All the Ministers in the United 
States in Europe have been instructed to promote 
the cause, by any means consistent with propriety, 
and adopted to their end at the respective places 
of their residence. The formal proposal of a con- 
certed recognition was made to Great Britain 
before the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle. At the 
request of Mr. Torres, on his dying bed [he died 
July 15th, 1822, at Philadelphia], and signified to 
us after his decease, Mr. Rush was instructed to 
give every aid in his power, without offense to the 
British Government, to obtain the admission of 
Mr. Ravenga [see Mr. Brent's dispatch regarding 
Mr. Ravenga, printed above] ; of which instruction, 
we have recent assurance from Mr. Rush that he is 
constantly mindful. Our own recognition, un- 
doubtedly, opened all the ports of Europe to the 
Colombian flag, and your mission to Colombia, as 
well as those to Buenos Aires and Chile, cannot 
fail to stimulate the cabinets of maritime Europe, 
if not by the liberal motives that influenced us, at 
least, by selfish impulse, to a direct, simple and 
unconditional recognition. We shall pursue this 
policy steadily through all the changes to be fore- 
seen, of European affairs. There is every reason 
to believe that the prepondering tendency of the 
war in Spain, will be to promote the universal 
recognition of the South American Governments, 

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INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

and at all events, our course will be to promote it 
by whatever influence we may possess. 

In this connection the following extract from a letter 
from Lafayette to Henry Clay, dated December 29th, 
1826, is interesting: — 

How do you find Mr. Canning's assertion in the 
British Parliament, that he, Mr. Canning, has 
called to existence the new Republics of the 
American Hemisphere ? when it is known by what 
example, what declaration, and what feelings of 
jealousy the British Government has been dragged 
into a slow, gradual, and conditional recognition 
of that independence. — (Vol. IV, page 155, Works 
of Clay, 1856 edition.) 

From the foregoing it will be deducted that — 

(1) The South Americans asked for the Monroe 
Doctrine ; 

(2) Their doing so gave it, from its inception, a 
Pan-American nature; 

(3) Their asking for it furnishes an additional argu- 
ment for its purely American, as contrasted with its 
supposedly Americo-British, origin. 

(4) Such early action on the part of Latin America 
should not be lost sight of in present-day applications 
of the Monroe Doctrine. 

The following quotation from a pamphlet published 
in 1902 by the late William L. Scruggs, formerly 
United States Minister to Colombia and Venezuela, 
supports the foregoing sentiments of Lafayette : — 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

It has been said and repeated often enough to 
gain some degree of credence, that the first sug- 
gestion of the Monroe Doctrine had an European 
origin. The claim is that the British Premier, 
Mr. Canning, suggested it to Mr. Rush, during 
their personal conference in September, 1823, 
relative to the designs of the so-called "Holy- 
Alliance" upon the newly enfranchised Spanish- 
American republics. 

The absurdity of this claim is too manifest for 
serious consideration. In the first place, the Can- 
ning-Rush conference did not take place until two 
months after the date of Mr. Adams' note to Mr. 
Rush nor until a month and a half after Mr. 
Adams' oral declarations to the Russian Minister. 
Hence the impossibility that the suggestion could 
have come from Mr. Canning and at the time and 
place indicated ; and it has never been intimated, 
much less asserted, that it came from him at any 
time prior to that. In the second place, we have 
Mr. Canning's own words in refutation of the claim 
which, in the absence of rebutting evidence, ought 
to be conclusive. In a letter addressed to the 
British Minister at Madrid, dated December 21st, 
1823 (see Stapleton's "Canning and His Times," 
P- 395, Wharton's Digest, Sec. 57), he uses this 
language : — 

"Monarchy in Mexico and Brazil would cure 
the evils of universal democracy, and prevent the 
drawing of a demarcation which I most dread, — 
America versus Europe." 

And further on, in the same letter, speaking of 
his conference with Mr. Rush, he says: "While I 
was yet hesitating, in September last, what shape 

[ I2 o] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

to give the proposed declaration and protest 
[against the designs of the Holy Alliance], I 
sounded Mr. Rush, the American Minister here, as 
to his powers and disposition to join in any step 
which we might take to prevent a hostile enterprise 
by European powers against Spanish America. 
He had no powers ; but he would have taken upon 
himself to join us if we would have begun by 
recognizing the independence of the Spanish- 
American States. This we could not do, and so 
we went on without. But I have no doubt that 
his report to his Government of this sounding, 
which he probably represented as an overture, had 
something to do in hastening the explicit decla- 
ration of the President." 

This letter, it will be observed, was written nine- 
teen days after the date of Mr. Monroe's message 
to Congress. 

The point is that Mr. Canning deliberately 
placed himself on record as opposed to the Doc- 
trine enunciated in both the message and the note, 
and hence could not have inspired either. 



[121] 



• CHAPTER V. 

Diversions in Euscaran : A Study in Persistently 
Influential Heredity 

IT IS a strange language, this Euscaran, or Basque ; 
by far the most unique and distinctly interesting 
of all the twenty-eight tongues in which one may 
telephone in this great cosmopolitan city of Buenos 
Aires. But it is stranger still, when we come to study 
the Spanish settlement and colonization of the New 
World, called America, how these same Basques, who 
only comprise three per cent of the population of 
Spain and who have never occupied more than one 
and one-half per cent of its area since Spain has 
become a united kingdom, should have been to all 
Spanish America what the Dorian hive was to Greece, 
or New England to the United States of America. 
For they stretch from California to Cape Horn ; and 
we find the Basque Elisa active in the Spanish settle- 
ment at Nootka Sound in 1789, which was as far 
north as the Spaniards ever tried to settle. There 
have been French Basques enough in Canada itself, 
but that is another story. 

Not very long ago the governor of the northern- 
most Mexican province, and the mayor of Punta 
Arenas in Chile, the southernmost city in the world, 
were Basques ; and it is only thirteen years since three 

[ 122] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Basques were, all at one and the same time presidents 
of the Argentine Republic, Chile, and Uruguay, — 
Uriburu, Errazuriz, and Idiarte Borda. This co- 
incidence merely repeated what had happened about 
one hundred years before, when Mendinueta was 
Viceroy of New Granada at the same time that 
Azanza was Viceroy of Mexico. As regards the 
explorers and discoverers, both Buenos Aires and 
Montevideo were founded by Basques, Juan de Garay 
and Pedro de Zavala ; La Rioja and Jujuy were both 
founded by another Basque, Juan Ramirez de Velasco ; 
Pascual de Andagoya was the first governor of the 
city of Panama ; and Martin de Zubieta explored the 
Straits of Magellan in 1 581. Long before this Magel- 
lan's second in command, Sebastian d' Elcano, the 
first captain to round the world, also came from 
the Basque provinces. Martin Garcia de Loyola, a 
cousin of the great Basque theologian, Ignatius de 
Loyola, who founded the Jesuit order, married a 
niece of the last Inca of Peru ; Echegoyen was a 
colonial administrator in Santo Domingo ; while Diego 
de Ibarra explored that part of Mexico which he 
called Nueva Vizcaya for his native land. Remember 
that Uruguay was also once called Nueva Vizcaya. 
The great river Parana was first explored and de- 
veloped by Diego Martinez de Irala and his Basques 
in 1548. 

I really cannot agree with M. Julien Vinson (though 
what does he not know about the Basques?) when he 

[ I2 3 ] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

says, "Mais le cerveu des Basques est rebelle aux 
sciences positives." Perhaps there may be; but the 
exceptions almost prove the rule. I am willing to 
grant that there may have been many Basques — we 
will discuss some of them a little later on — who were 
noted for their literary attainments of various kinds ; 
but nobody can convince me that when this morning's 
paper says that young Inocentio Mendieta, a Cuban 
Basque boy, is looked on with longing eyes by 
Manager Clark Griffith for the Washington baseball 
team, that there are not some Basques who are 
familiar with one of the greatest of modern positive 
sciences. Again, is not sheep-farming and sheep- 
raising a positive science? My friend Mr. Onagoity 
sells about 3,000 sheep a day to one soulless corpo- 
ration or another ; in fact almost all the present meat 
supply that we are drawing from Argentina is handled 
by Basques in one way or another. Ten to one it was 
a Basque shepherd or herdsman that took care of the 
cow or sheep whose meat will soon lie upon the 
breakfast table of the United States public in general, 
when it roamed in a primative condition over the pam- 
pas of the Rio Negro or of Buenos Aires province. 

Is not seamanship a positive science? The great 
Spanish admiral, Oquendo, prominent in the first half 
of the seventeenth century, and Alava y Navrete, 
famous for his circumnavigation of the globe in 1791, 
as well as commander Ugarriza of the Argentine 
navy, who is superintending the construction of the 

[ 124] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Argentine dreadnaught "Rivadavia" at Fore River, all 
of them Basques, were certainly practical sailors. "All 
is lost save honor," said Francis I of France, when 
taken a prisoner by a Basque soldier, Juan de Urbieta. 
Though the Basque provinces were free from military 
service until 1876, when they were finally and fully 
incorporated into the rest of Spain, they produced 
soldiers enough in both the Old and the New World : 
Zumalacarregui was the backbone of the Carlist 
struggle of 1833-39, while the name of Simon Boli- 
var — of almost pure Euscaran ancestry — needs no 
comment. He was not the only Basque to play a 
prominent part in the Spanish-American War of 
Independence. According to the Venezuelan his- 
torian, Aristides Rojas, at least fifty of his Venezuelan 
companions were Basques ; while Necochea, Azcue- 
naga, Larrea, Urdininea, Uriondo, in Argentina, 
Zanartu in Chile, Oribe in Uruguay, Unanue in Peru, 
Urdaneta in Venezuela, and Iturbide in Mexico, were 
of the same stock. So were many of their opponents, 
as Iturrigaray, the last Viceroy of Mexico, and Goye- 
neche in Peru. 

Finance is certainly a positive science, the Basque 
Mendizabal was Minister of Finance of Spain ; and, 
while I write, the Secretary of the Treasury of the 
Argentine Republic, Dr. Iriondo, is another, as is Dr. 
Guinazu, the City Treasurer of Buenos Aires. More 
than a fifth of the members of the Chilean Chamber of 
Deputies have Basque names. Three of the twelve 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

Argentine presidents since 1853 have been Basques. 
Let us look further north again. Manuel de Alava 
was in command when Nootka Sound was evacuated 
in March 23rd, 1795; Arrillaga was Governor of 
California, 1783-18 14. 

But you will say where are your Montts, your 
Comonforts, your Amats y Junients, your Guiriors, 
and all the rest who came from Catalonia and the 
ancient and very noble kingdom of Aragon? Did 
they not do fully as much in the New World as the 
Basques? Perhaps they did; but they spread over a 
very much greater area in Spain than did the Basques, 
they had a larger population and area to draw from ; 
and for a long while they had Naples and Sicily to 
develop and play with. We will take them up again 
some day, just as the Estremadura people and the 
Gallegos deserve special mention, to say nothing of 
those from the two Castiles and Leon ; but the 
Basques must come first; when people live on a stern 
and rock-bound coast, they generally make their 
influence felt whenever they care to emigrate. 

When you have a people who speak their own 
language, when everybody about them has had to go 
to the Latin to borrow theirs, and who are proud of 
this unique and highly specialized method of ex- 
pression of their own ; who are better in defence than 
in attack, who are willing to take the risk of responsi- 
bility of being an emperor of the Mexicans or taking 
charge of a few hundred sheep on the lonely pampas, 

[126] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

you have one of the finest types of the modern pioneer. 
I think St. Francis Xavier was a typical Basque. He 
stopped at absolutely nothing, he wore himself out to 
fulfil his life purpose ; yes, he died for it, on a little 
island off the Chinese coast in 155 1, just as the four 
Basque priests died by the bedsides of the sick and 
lowly, when the yellow fever came to Buenos Aires 
in 1871. 

Yes, the Basques specialize in cooperatively helpful 
charity. When the first Associated Charities was 
founded in the New World, the Benevolent Society 
of Buenos Aires, on January 2nd, 1823, the vice- 
president, one of the two secretaries, and five of the 
nine members of the executive committee were 
Basque ladies; and the president's mother was a 
Basque lady. It is high time to talk of the noble 
army of mothers, sisters and wives that have sailed 
forth from Euscaria, from the Viceroy's lady stepping 
down from her sedan chair in Lima or entering Bogota 
in state, to Juana, or Isabela, whose husband was but 
a private soldier in the armies of His Most Catholic 
Majesty. I asked my washerwoman the other day if 
she were a Spaniard. "No, Seflor; I am from the 
Kingdom of Navarre." And the Spanish part of the 
Kingdom of Navarre, whence good old Manuela 
came, had ceased to be a separate political entity 
exactly four hundred years ago. 

You cannot have a language nowadays without a 
literature. We meet with the traces of a Basque 

[ 127] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

language first of all very nearly one thousand years 
ago, in a.d. 980. In 1881 the Spanish Jesuit scholar, 
Fita, discovered a twelfth-century manuscript con- 
taining eighteen Basque words ; and the first Basque 
book was printed in 1545. In 1 57 1 the translation 
of the Protestant Bible into Basque was ordered by 
Jeanne d'Albret; it was printed at La Rochelle. Not 
very long after we have the first American epic 
poem — the "Araucana of Alonso de Ercilla" — which 
was written by a Basque. Now open your Cotton 
Mather's "Magnalia," and read of the wonder-work- 
ing providences of the Almighty in New England, 
or of Michael Wigglesworth's sweetly cheering words 
on the eternal damnation of infants in his "Day of 
Doom," and tell me if there is anything in the "Arau- 
cania" like that. It is dully and drily written in 
spots, I will admit; but we have flashes of quaint 
beauty throughout. The Basque Pedro de Ona's 
little sonnet of 1602, to the oldest American univer- 
sity, that of the most flourishing university of San 
Marcos, is like some of those old leather-backed 
chairs you can still buy in Cuzco or in the Bolivian 
highlands ; it has a fragrance of prettiness with a 
shimmer of natural affection : — 

Sweet Fountain of Pure Water, so pure that 
thou chantest Victory before the Sun ; with which 
the plants of this Antarctic Vale are bathed with 
Dew, and Sprinkl'd over with Freshness; Thou, 
who raisest thyself to the Sublime Regions, where 

[128] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

thy drops are holy Stars who by themselves 
change obscurity to Light, — 

Doubt not indeed, that from the waters clear, 
Of all thy Doctrines, and thine Healthy Rule, 
The Farthest Nations shall take Note and Hear ; 
Since thou a Mark, a Philip too doth know ; 
Which thine unconquerable strength to show 
Are pictured as two Lions on thy Scroll. 

This has not as much swing, perhaps, as some of 
Echevarria's Argentine poems, where he tells of the 
now Vanished gauchos, or cowboys, of the pampas 
and plains, — 

Bold Quiroga compelling, 
To stay his rebelling, 
Thoughout the glad morning whilst forward they stray. 

Now the language itself of these people of the 
mountainous northeastern corner of Spain is quite 
worth while. Take the root Egui, the truth or justice : 
Sefior Leguia is president of Peru, while Dr. Eguiguren 
is chief justice thereof; Dr. Eguiara is a prominent 
Mexican physician; and Minister Belaustegui intro- 
duced physical training into the Argentine schools. 
Many Basques have tree-names, just as the Japanese 
have : Yanagi, the Willow, is a Japanese surname ; and 
we have Salazar and Sarasate, which mean the Willow 
in Basque. There is no general word for animal or tree 
in Basque ; because it is not a selfish language at all ; 
every animal or tree has its own name. Thus, Lizarr 
is the Ash-tree ; Lizarr-aga the Ash-wood ; Zumarr, 
the Elm (as in Zumarraga, etc.); Ur is the Water. 

[ 129] 



INTER-AMERICAN ACQUAINTANCES 

A great many Basque words begin in Ur. Let us 
analyze a word with Ur in the middle of it, — a four- 
story word with a garret and cellar, — like Asta- 
buruaga, for instance. Asia, or Astur, is the Moun- 
tain-water ; Burn is the Head ; and I really forget what 
Aga does mean. To come to land again, Erria or 
Erri is the Land ; Salaverry, the Willow-land ; Echever- 
ria, the House and Land, etc. Look at the Belasco 
Theatre. What does Belasco mean ? Bella or Velia 
is the Raven. Belasco or Velasco is the Son of the 
Raven. Ochoa or Otsoa, as the old spelling is, is the 
Wolf. They borrow and annex words, too ; look at 
Mendiburu ; Mendl is the Latin Mons, with the beauti- 
ful Basque Bum attached. And so we could go on 
all night if necessary ; but who really cares to learn to 
read Basque, if the Spanish is printed in the opposite 
column ? They all tell us that nobody can learn this 
language; His Satanic Majesty tried to, and really 
couldn't; but that is what the jealous people from the 
rest of Spain say. 

" Urquidi and Urquiza stay ; while noble in his pain 
Urduna soothes the bloody wound that pains Urdinarrain ; 
The good Ellauri is gone ; and jocund, gone the strain 
That hung above our weary heads, like as the summer rain 
Gathers and threatens ere descends, sprinkling with fertile 

spray 
The meadow and the valley green, that clothe our Uruguay, 
They turn triumphant to the toil, that beckons them before, 
And holds them with their holy hope, that hears our Hus- 

piaur." 

[I30] 



EPITOME OF DATES 

i 807-1 826 

1807, Oct. 4 — De Forest writes to Secretary Madison from Bue- 
nos Aires regarding United States interest there. 

1809, Jan. 22 — Spanish Royal Decree enacts that Spanish-Amer- 

ican Colonies are an integral part of the Mon- 
archy and can be represented in the Cortes. 
Mar. 7 — Thomas Sumter appointed United States Minister 
to the Portuguese Court at Rio de Janeiro. 

1810, April 10 — Venezuelan insurrection against Spain. 
May 25 — Buenos Aires " Cabildo Abierto." 

June 11 — J. V. Bolivar and Telesforo de Orea leave Vene- 
zuela for the United States. 
June 28— The United States Secretary of State instructs 

an agent, Joel Roberts Poinsett, to visit South 

America, and appoints him agent for commerce 

and seamen at Buenos Aires. 
July 7 — Expedition of 1,150 patriots leaves Buenos Aires 

for the interior. 
Aug. 26 — Shooting of Liniers. 
Sept. 18 — The Junta de Gobierno proclaimed at Santiago 

de Chile. 
Sept. 24 — The Cabildo of Montevideo decrees the founding 

of a newspaper. 
Oct. 27 — Defeat of Balcarce at Catagaita. 
Nov. 6 — Robert K. Lowry sent as United States Agent to 

Caracas. 
Nov. 7 — Argentine victory at Suipacha, under Balcarce. 
Nov. — Arrival of Telesforo de Orea as Venezuelan 

Agent in the United States. 
/ - Nov. 28 — Translation of Jefferson published in Gazeta de 

Buenos Aires. 

[131] 



EPITOME OF DATES 

1811, April 30 — Secretary Monroe appoints Louis Goddefroy 

United States Consul for Buenos Aires and the 
ports below it on the River Plate. 

May 14 — Outbreak at Asuncion, Paraguay. 

June 20 — Battles of Juraicoragua and Huaqui. 

July 4 — First Chilean National Congress meets at Santi- 
ago de Chile. 

July 5 — Venezuelan Declaration of Independence. 

July 25 — Arrival of Jose - Miguel Carrera in Chile. 

Aug. 13 — Rozas leaves Santiago for Concepcion, Chile. 

Aug. 14 — "Rules for the Temporary Organization of the 
Executive in Chile" published. 

Sept. 4 — Rozas restored to power in Chile ; Supreme 
Court of Justice formed. 

Oct. 7 — It was enacted in Chile that all discussions of 
Congress and all acts of the Government be 
published. 

Nov. 5 — President Madison's message to the United States 
Congress, containing his first allusions to South 
American independence. 

Nov. 15 — William Gilchrist Miller recognized as United 
States Vice-Consul in Buenos Aires. 

Nov. 21 — Arrival of "Galloway" from New York at Val- 
paraiso with printing-press for Chileans. 

1812, Jan. — Interview of Saavedra and Aguirre, from Buenos 

Aires, with Stephen Girard in Philadelphia. 

They went from Philadelphia to Washington 

to see Secretary Monroe. 
Mar. 13 — Arrival of San Martin and Alvear andZapiolain 

Buenos Aires, from Cadiz. 
May 14 — Secretary Monroe issues instructions to Alexan- 
der Scott, Agent to Venezuela. 
May 19 — Arrival of Saavedra and Aguirre at Buenos 

Aires from Philadelphia on the ship " Liberty.'' 
July 4 — Celebration at Santiago de Chile. 
July 26 — Treaty of Vittoria-Miranda and Monteverde 

(Venezuela) . 

[ 132] 



EPITOME OF DATES 

1812, Sept. 4— Rivadavia's decree encouraging emigration to 

Argentina. 
Sept. 26 — Victory at Tucuman. 
Oct. 8 — Military mutiny in Buenos Aires. 

1813, Jan. 31 — Argentine Constitutional Assembly meets. 
Feb. 10 — Juan Manuel de Luca officially informs United 

States Vice-Consul Miller at Buenos Aires 
that the Argentine Government desires to 
initiate " commercial relations of mutual inter- 
est" with the United States of America. 

Mar. 26 — Royalist Army from Peru under Antonio Pareja 
lands at Talcuahuano. 

April 1 — Carrera reaches Rancagua accompanied by Mr. 
Poinsett. 

April 4 — Congress of Uruguay meets under Presidency of 
Artigas. 

April 5 — Carrera arrives at Talca. 

April 1 5 — Pareja reaches Chilian with 5,500 men. All Chile 
south of Maule under his control. 

April 20 — Chilean victory at Yerbas Buenas. 

May 15— Battle of San Carlos. 

July 10 — Carrera begins the seige of Chilian. 

July 21 — The Argentine Triumvirate informs President 
Madison of the desirability of a " fraternal al- 
liance which would truly unite the Americas of 
the North and South forever." 

Aug. 4 — Bolivar enters Caracas in triumph. 

Oct. 1 — Paraguayan Declaration of Independence ratified. 

Oct. — Defeat of Carrera. 

Oct. 17— Battle of Roble. 

Nov. 27 — Junta replaces Carrera by Belgrano at Vileapujo. 

1814, Jan. 28 — Proclamation of O'Higgins. 
April 5 — Ganeza falls back on Taca. 

June 23 — Montevideo surrenders to Patriot General Carlos 
de Alvear. End of Spanish dominion in River 
Plate. 

[ 133] 



EPITOME OF DATES 

1814, Aug. 10 — San Martin appointed Governor of Cuyo ; he 

resided in Mendoza. 
Dec. — Bolivar appears before Bogota. 

1815, Jan. 16— Portuguese sovereignty takes title of King of 

Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves. 
Dec. 6 — Spanish General Morillo occupies Cartegena. 

1816, Jan. 29 — Henry Clay asserts in United States House of 

Representatives that the United States may 
have to openly " take part with the patriots of 
South America." 

Jan. 30 — Pope Pius VII issues encyclical against South 
American independence. 

Mar. — Maria I dies ; Joao VI succeeds. 

Mar. 25 — Corps of deputies meet at Tucuman. 

July 9 — Argentine Declaration of Independence at Tucu- 
man ; Francia's dictatorship made perpetual 
in Paraguay. 

1817, Jan. 17 — San Martin begins the passage of the Andes with 

3,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry, 1,600 horses, 900 
mules. 

Jan. 19 — Portuguese take possession of Montevideo. 

Feb. 9 — United states Ship " Clifton " arrives at Buenos 
Aires for the Argentine Government. 

Feb. 12 — Battle of Chacabuco. 

Feb. 14 — San Martin enters Santiago de Chile. 

Feb. 16 — Victory of Bolivar and Paez over Morillo. 
. July 18 — John B. Prevost sent to Chile-Peru as Commis- 
sioner of the United States of America. 

Nov. 21 — United States Consul Halsey is dispatched on 
his visit to Artigas. 

Dec. 2 — President Monroe's message to Congress recog- 
nizes some of the revolting Spanish-American 
countries as belligerents. 

Dec. 3 — Clay's motion to inquire what was necessary to 
secure to the South Americans their rights as 
belligerents. 

[134] 



EPITOME OF DATES 

1817, Dec. 4 — United States Commissioners Rodney, Graham, 

Bland, and Breckenridge (secretary) sail from 
Hampton Roads in U. S. Frigate " Congress" 
for Buenos Aires. 

1818, Jan. 1 — O'Higgins publishes proclamation of Chilean in- 

dependence. 

Feb. 18 — Independence of Chile proclaimed. 

Feb. 28 — United States Commissioners arrive in Buenos 
Aires. 

Mar. 25 — Henry Clay's speech in the House of Repre- 
sentatives to acknowledge South American 
independence. 

April 5— Battle of Maipu, Chile. 

April 24 — Rodney and Graham leave Buenos Aires for the 
United States of America. 

Oct. 28 — Wooster's assault on Talcuahuano. 

Nov. 13 — San Martin's proclamation to the inhabitants of 
Peru, urging the union of Argentina, Chile and 
Peru, and a Central Congress composed of 
their representatives. 

Nov. 28 — Lord Cochrane reaches Valparaiso. 

Dec. — Rodney's and Prevost's reports sent to the United 
States Congress. 

1819, Jan. 16 — Cochrane sails from Valparaiso to Callao, Peru. 
Feb. 5 — Tagle-Irissari treaty between Argentina and Chile. 
Feb. 15 — Congress of Angostura. 

Aug. 7 — Battle of Boyaca. 

Dec. 7 — Fundamental law declaring Venezuela and Co- 
lombia to be one state. 

1820, Feb. — Lord Cochrane takes Valdivia. 

May 20 — Henry Clay introduces motion to inaugurate 
diplomatic intercourse with independent South 
American nations. 

Aug. 21 — San Martin and Cochrane sail from Valparaiso. 

Sept. — San Martin lands near Huacho, Peru. 

Nov. 5 — " Esmeralda " captured from Spaniards at Callao. 

Nov. 25 — Armistice at Trujillo, Peru. 

[135] 



EPITOME OF DATES 

1821, Feb. 6 — Henry Clay secures passage of resolution that 
the United States feels deep interest for Span- 
ish-American Provinces struggling for liberty. 
Mar. 20 — Cochrane captures Pisco, Peru. 

1821, June 23 — Battle of Carabobo ; Bolivar's victory. 
June 29 — Bolivar enters Caracas. 

July 6 — Patriot Army enters Lima, Peru. 

July 9 — United States Charge Brent, at Madrid, is inter- 
viewed there by Ravenga, Bolivar's commis- 
sioner. 

July 28 — Peruvian Declaration of Independence. 

Aug. 9 — University of Buenos Aires founded. 

Ang. 30 — Constitution of Colombia adopted. 

1822, Mar. 8 — President James Monroe recommended acknowl- 

edgement of the independence of the South 

American Republics by the United States of 

America. 
April 22 — Rules for elections issued from Peru by San 

Martin. 
May 4 — South American independence recognized by the 

United States of America. 
May 14 — Battle of Pichincha, Ecuador ; Victory of the 

Patriot Army. 
May 19 — Iturbide crowned Emperor (Agustfn I) of Mexico. 
June 19 — Manuel Torres received by President Monroe as 

Charge d'Affaires from Colombia. 
July 11 — San Martin arrives at Guayaquil. 
July 27-28 — Interview of Bolivar and San Martin at 

Guayaquil. 
Sept. 7 — Independence of Brazil proclaimed. 
Nov. 29 — Cochrane resigns his commission in Chilean navy. 

1823, Jan. 18 — Cochrane finally sails away from Valparaiso, pro- 

ceeding to Brazil. 
Jan. 27 — The United States of America appoints Ministers 
to Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and the United 
Provinces of the Rio de la Plata, thereby 
recognizing those countries' independence. 

[136] 



EPITOME OF DATES 

1823, Feb. 26 — Jose* de la Riva Aguero appointed President of 
Peru. 

June 8 — Caesar A. Rodney sails for Buenos Aires from 
Philadelphia as United States Minister. 

July 16 — Brazilian naval victory over the Portuguese, in 
Latitude 5 degrees north. 

Aug. 1 — Brazilian authority permanently established at 
Maranhao, and soon afterwards at Para. End 
of Portuguese dominion in Brazil. 

Aug. — Rivadavia founds the first agricultural school in 
America on the Recoleta estate in Buenos 
Aires. 

Aug. 10 — Peruvian Congress bestows on Simon Bolivar the 
title of " Dictator and Liberator of Peru." 

Oct. 24 — Ex-President Jefferson writes President Monroe 
that "America, North and South, has a set of 
interests distinctly from those of Europe, and 
peculiarly her own." 

Nov. 16 — Arrival of Caesar A. Rodney at Buenos Aires as 
United States Minister. 

Nov. 18 — Rodney is so recognized by Argentine Govern- 
ment. 

Dec. 2 — President Monroe's message to the United States 
Congress (Monroe Doctrine) containing the 
following statement referring to Latin America : 
" With the governments who have declared 
their independence and maintained it, and 
whose independence we have on great con- 
sideration and on just principles acknowledged, 
we could not view any interpretation for the 
purpose of oppressing them or controlling in 
any other manner their destiny, by any other 
European power, in any other light than as the 
manifestation of an unfriendly disposition 
toward the United States." 

Dec. 3 — Carlos de Alvear appointed Argentine Minister to 
the United States. 

[ 137] 



EPITOME OF DATES 

1823, Dec. 7— Bolivar issues invitations from Lima to Pan- 

American Congress at Panama. 

1824, Jan. 20— The King of Spain abolishes the Political Consti- 

tution of the Indies by an Edict, thus placing 
affairs exactly as they were in 1820. 
Feb. 3— Consuls appointed by Great Britain to the free 
Provinces of America — a year after their 
diplomatic recognition by the United States of 
America. 

Mar. 25— Emperor of Brazil (Pedro I) swears to Consti- 
tution. 

May. 6— The King of Spain issues a declaration that he 
would never consent to the independence of 
his former American Colonies, but that he 
would appeal to a Congress of European 
soverigns in regard thereto. 

May 26— The United States of America recognizes the 
independence of Brazil. 

June 10— Rivadavia's funeral oration over Caesar Rodney, 
the first United States Minister to Argentina. 

Aug. 4— The United States of America recognizes the 
independence or the Central American Fede- 
ration. 

Dec. 9— Battle of Ayacucho ; Victory of Bolivar over the 
Spaniards. 

Dec. 16— Constitutional Convention meets at Buenos Aires. 

1825, Jan. 1— National Convention meets at Buenos Aires. 

Jan. 23— National Constitution of Federated States of 
the Rio de la Plata agreed upon. 

Mar. 6— Francisco de Paula Santander, President of Co- 
lombia, states that the United States should be 
invited to the Panama Congress " to participate 
in deliberations of common interest to such 
sincere and enlightened friends." 

June — Bolivar visits upper Peru. 

[138] 



EPITOME OF DATES 

1825, Aug. 25 — Joao VI abdicates crown of Brazil in favor of 

Don Pedro I. 
Aug. — First Bolivian Congress. 

1826, Jan. 11 — Chilean assault on battery of San Carlos on 

Island of Chiloe ; Freeman Oxley, a United 
States citizen in the Chilean navy, is killed. 

Jan. 28 — Surrender of the last Spanish fortress in South 
America — Callao — to the Peruvians. 

Apr. n — Daniel Webster's speech defending Monroe 
Doctrine. 

May 2 — The United States of America recognizes inde- 
pendence of Peru. 

June 22-July 15 — Pan-American Congress at Panama. 

Sept. — Bolivar leaves Lima. 

Dec. 24 — " Unitario" constitution of Rivadavia adopted by 
Argentina. 



[ J39] 



